Freescale Semiconductor said it is sampling new communications processors based on its 45-nm process technology, The 45-nm PowerQUICC, dual-core QorIQ and six-core StarCore DSP, announced Tuesday (March 31) at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Silicon Valley, aims to help OEMs build higher performance 3G and 4G wireless basestations that consume less power, Freescale said. Freescale said it is seeding OEMs with samples of its new 45-nm processors, which are currently being designed into a variety of wireless infrastructure equipment. The company expects to begin volume deliveries in the second half of 2009.
BOTTOM LINE: Freescale is leapfroging specialist communications processor makers like AMCC (Applied Micro Circuits Corp.), Cavium Networks, and RMI Inc. with its 45-nanometer parts at a time when smaller vendors are still producing 65- and 90-nanometer parts, leveraging its world-class semiconductor technologies. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) switching to Freescale should reap significant performance benefits, as well as lower power consumption and cost.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216402015
