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The WAVE Report
Issue #0406 (0350)------------------02/13/04 |
The WAVE Report archive is available on http://www.wave-report.com
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0406.1 Hot Topics
- Proxim's Unveils ORiNOCO Wireless LAN Switching System
- Vonage Raises $40 Million Financing Round Led by 3i and
Co-Led by
Meritech Capital Partners - SEMI Publishes 25 New Standards Related to Semiconductor,
FPD
Manufacturing
0406.2 Story of the Issue
0406.3 Wireless
0406.4 Semiconductor
0406.5 Optical Fiber
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0406.1 Hot Topics
*** Proxim's Unveils ORiNOCO Wireless LAN Switching System
(February 9)
Proxim Corporation announced details of its Proxim ORiNOCO Switching System, a wireless networking product family designed to support voice and data traffic across wireless LAN networks.
The Proxim ORiNOCO Switching System is designed from the ground up to support voice traffic, delivering intelligent "no delay" roaming and load balancing.
The switching system incorporates pre-authentication and per-user, inter-switch tunneling. It also supports a pre-802.11e-based standard QoS implementation and a pre-authentication mechanism that registers voice and/or cellular traffic.
Details and Availability
The Proxim ORiNOCO Switching System includes the following.
ORiNOCO Switching System Access Points- These switched access points, shipping in Q2 2004, are based on the new Proxim ORiNOCO AP-4000 Access Point architecture. Beginning in Q2 2004, Proxim is delivering flexible access point options ranging from centralized to distributed intelligence. Both the Proxim ORiNOCO AP-4000 Access Point and new ORiNOCO Switching System Access Points will be supported by Proxim and Proxim partner switching solutions.
Multiple switching products shipping in 2004 - Proxim is integrating its core voice-over wireless LAN technology as described above into partner Ethernet switching platforms. These jointly-developed products will ship throughout 2004 as part of the ORiNOCO Switching System, and will be marketed through Proxim's global channels.
*** Vonage Raises $40 Million Financing Round Led by 3i and Co-Led by
Meritech Capital Partners
(February 6)
Vonage announced the closing of a $40.0 million series C financing round led by 3i and co-led by Meritech Capital Partners, bringing total investment in the company over the past three months to $75 million. Existing investors New Enterprise Associates and Vonage senior management also participated in the round, bringing the capital raised to $103.0 million.
Principia Capital Group served as financial advisor to Vonage throughout the transaction. KMZ Rosenman served as legal advisor. J. Sanford (Sandy) Miller, managing director with 3i, will join Vonage's Board of Directors.
Vonage customers require a high-speed Internet connection and a regular home telephone to utilize VoIP. The company offers rate plans, ranging from $14.99 for residential customers to $49.99 for small businesses. All rate plans include caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, call forwarding, and emergency calling service.
Vonage offers three options for checking voicemail:
You can dial into a menu and listen over the phone.
Listen to voicemail online.
Listen to voicemail in your email box (a .wav file will be sent to your
account).
Area Code Selection:
Vonage customers can choose any area code, regardless of location.
http://www.vonage.com/
http://www.3ius.com/
http://www.meritechcapital.com/
*** SEMI Publishes 25 New Standards Related to Semiconductor, FPD Manufacturing
(February 5)
SEMI has published 25 new technical standards applicable to the semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing industries.
The new standards are available for purchase in CD-ROM format or can
be downloaded from the SEMI website,
http://www.semi.org
SEMI Standards are published three times a year. The new standards, part of the February 2004 publication cycle, join more than 670 standards that have been published by SEMI during the past 30 years.
The standards released today include:
- SEMI D37 Specification for LCD Pellicles
- SEMI D38 Guidelines for Quality Area of LCD Masks
- SEMI E127.1 Provisional Specification for SECS-II Protocol for
Integrated Measurement Module Communications
- SEMI E131 Specification for the Physical Interface of an Integrated
Measurement Module onto 300 mm Using BOLTS-M
- SEMI E132 Specification for Equipment Client Authentication and Authorization
- SEMI E133 Provisional Specification for Automated Process Control Systems
Interface
- SEMI M55.1 Standard for 50.8 mm Round Polished Monocrystalline 4H and
6H Silicon Carbide Wafers
- SEMI P41 Specification for Mask Defect Data Handling with XML, Between
Defect Inspection Tools, Repair Tools and Review Tools
- SEMI P42 Specification of Reticle Data for Automatic Reciprocal Transfer
to Wafer Exposure System
- SEMI P43 Photomask Qualification Terminology
- SEMI T12 Specification of Tracing Jigs and Implements
In addition to the above, 14 additional standards, designated F82 through F95 and related to mass flow controllers and mass flow meters, were released during the February cycle.
http://www.semi.org
http://www.semi.org/standards
0406.2 Story of the Issue
*** KT Faces Difficult Times
By John Latta
KT is finding out that being a leader in broadband does not necessarily translate into sustainable financial performance. This leadership reality is also important to the rest of the industry. For example, on Wednesday, February 4, 2000 KT reported that:
KT Corp. has reduced its earnings target for 2005 by 15.6 percent, or 2.3 trillion won, to 12.4 trillion won as growth slows. The original target was for earnings at 14.7 trillion won in 2005.
KT reported 2003 sales at 11.57 trillion won, which is short of its target 11.7 trillion won. The net income was down 58 percent from 2002 to 830 billion won.
In Korea broadband penetration is at 69% and KT has 50% market share. In saturated markets growth can come in two ways: increased income from the existing customer base and expanded markets, especially international. Driving ARPU in Korea has proved especially difficult. In March 2003 KT launched VoD and its subscriber numbers have stalled at 200,000. KT intends to launch its HDS (Home Digital Service) as a comprehensive consumer offering. It has a demonstration facility at its headquarters in Seongnam, Korea outside of Seoul. By the end of 2004 it expects to install integrated gateways for this service into 300,000 homes. The services include: home control, appliance control, television control and home security. Yet, in our brief visit to Korea it is not at all clear consumers care about these services that will increase their monthly bill. Consumers state they want fixed known monthly costs which are within their means.
At the same time that KT is launching its HDS, the Korean government is behind its digital home pilot program. The government has stimulated the formation of two consortiums one with KT, Samsung and its members and the other with SKT, LG and other companies. There are major differences between the KT HDS effort and what the government is seeking. While the government is backing an open Linux effort KT is seeking a closed approach, in part, to retain its customers with proprietary services. The details of the pilot program are expected to be announced in April.
For Korea to leverage its experience in broadband it must participate in international markets be it either in hardware or services. For example, if the forthcoming integrated home gateway specification is successful in Korea this would allow companies such as Samsung to compete against products that implement OpenCable and OpenDSL specifications. The key here is sustainable profitable applications that use the platform. Likewise if KT is to become an international player and exports its broadband services this could stimulate additional market growth. Yet, KT lags far behind such leaders as BT, DoCoMo and DT in entering international markets.
The WAVE Report visited KT at its headquarters in Korea to understand how HDS and other efforts would allow it to stimulate growth in the broadband market, especially in applications. When we arrived the company cancelled the interviews. We can only surmise that the company did not want to discuss how it will use broadband to reverse its current difficult situation.
WAVE Comments
The WAVE Report has long stated that home broadband applications will evolve into much more than media, home security and always on Internet access. For broadband to be successful it has to make life for the family and individual easier to live. This has many dimensions and the most difficult part is finding those services which consumers will pay for. Paying 10¢ to turn on a microwave from a cell phone is more of a nuisance than making life easier. The assumption that escalating bandwidth means more applications and that equates to more revenue for the provider has yet to be demonstrated. Creating a broadband infrastructure, in the years ahead, will be seen as the easy part, making it useful and a sustainable profitable business is where the challenge lies.
0406.3 Wireless
*** AppForge Mobile Technology Adds Support for HHP Dolphin 9500 Mobile
Computers
(February 9)
AppForge, Inc., and HHP, Inc., announced the integration of the AppForge Crossfire product to enable .NET developers to create applications for HHP's Dolphin 9500 mobile computers.
Crossfire allows creation and deployment of applications for mobile
and wireless handheld devices, including HHP industrial devices. It also
includes built-in support for bar code scanning, area imaging, database
access and synchronization. The Dolphin 9500 and 9550 Mobile Computers
are powered by HHP's fourth generation Adaptus Imaging Technology.
AppForge Crossfire began shipping in January 2004.
http://www.appforge.com
http://www.hhp.com
0406.4 Semiconductor
*** Axiom Microdevices Introduces Fully Integrated CMOS Quad-Band GSM/GPRS
Power Amplifier
(February 6)
Axiom Microdevices Inc. introduced AX501, a fully integrated complementary
metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) power amplifier. This flagship product
from Axiom integrates a full quad-band GSM/GPRS power amplifier function
for application in any dual-, triple- or quad-band GSM/GPRS cellular
handset or data module.
The device consists of two independent power amplifiers for use in
the low bands 824-849MHz/E-GSM (880-915MHz) and high bands, DCS (1710-1785MHz)/PCS
(1850-1910MHz). All of the functions between the transmitter output
and the transmit/receive switch module are integrated.
The power amplifier core includes 50-ohm input and output matching circuitry, enabling direct connection to the transceiver output and the transmit/receive switch input without the use of external components. The power level may be set via a closed-loop power controller. It has built-in protection circuits for over-voltage, over-temperature and over-current events.
Pricing and Availability
Samples of the AX501 are available now. It is priced at $1.50 per 10,000
units.
0406.5 Optical Fiber
*** Continuum Photonics Announces DirectLight IG Series of Optical Switches
(February 9)
Continuum Photonics Inc. announced the availability of its DirectLight IG (instrumentation grade) Series of Optical Switches.
The DirectLight family of products are scalable, non-blocking optical switches, transparent to protocol and line rate and are based on Continuum’s patented beam-steering technology. Through standard open interface APIs, DirectLight can be used to establish and maintain optical connectivity among channels.
DirectLight IG is available in two platforms, DirectLight IG 3200 (32
port) and DirectLight IG 6400 (64 port) non-blocking transparent switches.
Either chassis can begin with as few as 16 ports, and can be upgraded
in 16 port increments to its maximum size.
Continuum will show the DirectLight IG at the upcoming Optical Fiber
Communications 2004 conference and exhibition in Los Angeles, February
22-27. Pricing and availability is available directly from Continuum.
http://www.continuumphotonics.com
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