PMC-Sierra Introduces the Industry's HighestDensity Devices for Converging Voice, Data and Video...

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BURNABY, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2000

New AAL1gator(TM) ATM Adaptation

to six times the density of previously available solutions

PMC-Sierra (Nasdaq:PMCS) today announced three new members of its AAL1gator family of high density constant bit rate ATM processors -- the PM73122 AAL1gator-32, the PM73123 AAL1gator-8 and the PM73124 AAL1gator-4. This comprehensive line of AAL1 Segmentation And Reassembly (SAR) solutions allows designers to develop next-generation networking equipment that aggregates multiple channels of voice, data and video traffic on a single ATM multi-service network. The AAL1gator devices can convert up to 32 lines of T1/E1/T3/E3 traffic into ATM, providing up to six times the density over other available solutions.

Convergence of Carrier Voice and Data Networks Reduces Costs

To reduce overall equipment and network operating costs, incumbent carriers are seeking ways to migrate their separate circuit switched voice and leased line T1 networks onto a single ATM multi-service network. The ATM AAL1 protocol is uniquely capable of meeting the required quality of service for transport of voice traffic. The AAL1gator product family supports the complete suite of AAL1 standards including processing for individual 64 Kbit/s voice channels (structured mode) and processing of complete T1/E1/T3/E3 data or video channels (unstructured mode).

The AAL1gator-32 targets convergence of high capacity T1/E1 over SONET/SDH interfaces on ATM multi-service switch port cards. The AAL1gator-8 is ideal for high density T1/E1 over copper interfaces on ATM Access multiplexer port cards, while the AAL1gator-4 is optimized for use in T1/E1 subscriber terminals for ATM Passive Optical Network (APON) and Local Multi-point Distribution System (LMDS) networks.

PMC-Sierra and Tellabs Collaborate on Multi-Service T1/E1 over

SONET/SDH Solutions

&uot;We collaborated with PMC-Sierra to ensure the chip set met our system density goals,&uot; said Frank Melinn, Tellabs, Inc. senior staff engineer. &uot;The AAL1gator/TEMUX chip set supports the key interfaces and operating modes required for our AN-2100GX next-generation media gateway,&uot; concluded Melinn.

Combining the new PM73122 AAL1gator-32 with PMC-Sierra's PM8315 TEMUX high density T1/E1 framer device provides an optimized solution for convergence of hundreds of T1/E1 lines onto a single port card. The AAL1gator-32/TEMUX chip set is ideal for ATM Multi-service Switches, Voice over ATM (VoATM) gateways, and Digital Access and Cross-connect (DACS) systems (see Figure 1 and 2).

Pricing, Availability and Customer Support

The PM73122 AAL1gator-32 is sampling now, packaged in a 35x35 mm 352-pin SBGA and is priced at $299 in 1KU volumes. The PM73123 AAL1gator-8 and PM73124 AAL1gator-4 are each packaged in a 23x23 mm 324-pin PBGA and priced at $99 and $75, respectively, in 1KU volumes. All devices are rated for industrial temperature range operation (-40 to +85 degrees Celsius).

All three new members of the AAL1gator product family feature a low power 2.5-volt core and support 5-volt compatible input/output signals. In addition, the new devices have been designed for ease of software upgrade for the hundreds of designs using previous generation AAL1gator products.

A comprehensive customer support package including device datasheets, technical overview, hardware reference designs, application notes, models, software drivers and a software programmer's guide is available at http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

PMC-Sierra's SBI Bus is Key to Improved Link Density

The AAL1gator-32 supports up to four times the number of links previously available on a single AAL1 chip. This radically improved link density is achieved through PMC-Sierra's Scalable Bandwidth Interconnect (SBI(TM)) bus. The SBI bus uses an 8 bit parallel format to interconnect the TEMUX Layer 1 framer device with high density Layer 2 solutions such as the AAL1gator-32. The AAL1gator-32 also provides H-MVIP and independent clock and data line interfaces for interconnecting to standard, non-SBI-compliant devices.

Figure 3 illustrates the density benefits of the AAL1gator-32 by comparing two designs for a channelized DS3 AAL1 port card. The figure depicts use of current generation components versus a design employing the new AAL1gator-32 combined with the TEMUX. The AAL1gator-32 / TEMUX two-chip design replaces 12 individual components. This yields a lower cost per port, lower power per port using as little as one sixth the board space.

&uot;PMC-Sierra developed the new AAL1gator devices to interface directly with the complete portfolio of complementary PMC-Sierra products including TEMUX, COMET, SPECTRA-155, SPECTRA-622, S/UNI-ATLAS and S/UNI-APEX,&uot; said Glenn Bindley, vice president of access products for PMC-Sierra. &uot;These synergistic devices provide a complete Circuit Emulation Service (CES) solution at densities ranging from a few to hundreds of T1/E1 lines,&uot; Bindley concluded.

About PMC-Sierra

PMC-Sierra's extensive family of broadband communication semiconductors are enabling the equipment that provides the backbone for the Internet. The company develops ATM, SONET/SDH, T1/E1, T3/E3, and Internet Protocol (IP) solutions for wide area network and Internet infrastructure equipment. PMC-Sierra's quality system is registered with the Quality Management Institute to the ISO 9001 standard. As co-founder of the SATURN Development Group, PMC-Sierra works with over 30 other member companies to define and develop interoperable, standard-compliant solutions for high speed networking applications.

PMC-Sierra offers worldwide technical and sales support including a network of offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The company's headquarters are located in Burnaby, British Columbia. PMC-Sierra is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol &uot;PMCS&uot;. The company is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) which contains the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Nasdaq-100 Index is the benchmark for the Nasdaq-100 Index Tracking Stock (Amex:QQQ). For more information about PMC-Sierra, visit http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

Attachments
Figure 1: T1/E1 Channelized OC-3 Applications
Figure 2: T1/E1 Channelized OC-12 Applications
Figure 3: Existing AAL1 Design vs. AAL1gator-32 Design
Technical Glossary

Technical Glossary

ATM               Asynchronous Transfer Mode
APON              ATM Passive Optical Network
CAS               Channel Associated Signaling
CBR               Constant Bit rate
CES               Circuit Emulation Service
DACS              Digital Access and Cross Connect System
DS                Digital Signal
H-MVIP            High-capacity Multi Vendor Integration Protocol
IAD               Integrated Access Device
LMDS              Local Multipoint Distribution System
OC                Optical Carrier
SAR               Segmentation And Reassembly
SBI               Scalable Bandwidth Interconnect
SDH               Synchronous Digital Hierarchy - the European
                   counterpart to SONET
SONET             Synchronous Optical NETwork
TDM               Time Division Multiplex
TEMUX             High Density T1/E1 Framer with Integrated VT/TU
                  Mapper and M13 Multiplexer
UTOPIA            Universal Test &Operations PHY Interface for ATM