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RFMD® Targets CDMA Components Market with Compelling New Products
Full Suite Of New Products Includes Power Amplifiers, Switches and GPS LNA Modules
(PresseBox) (BARCELONA, SPAIN, )
RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: RFMD), a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance semiconductor components, today announced it is targeting the CDMA components market with the introduction of multiple compelling new CDMA front end products. In calendar year 2009, RFMD® plans a major refresh of its CDMA product portfolio, marking the Company's first new offerings for CDMA handsets in approximately five years.
RFMD CDMA front end products to be launched in 2009 include power amplifiers (PAs), discrete switches and GPS low noise amplifier (LNA) modules with integrated filters. New products recently launched by RFMD include the RF73xx family of linear CDMA PAs, the RF1126 and RF1136 discrete switches and the RF2815 GPS LNA module with integrated surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter, designed for GPS-enabled CDMA mobile devices.
"We are very pleased to expand our industry-leading portfolio of cellular front end components to address the many opportunities in CDMA handsets," said Eric Creviston, president of RFMD's Cellular Products Group. "CDMA handsets totaled approximately 170 million units in 2008 and continue to represent a large segment of the overall handset market. We expect our CDMA product refresh will extend our reach to new customers and new design teams and expand our total available market by approximately 150 million units in calendar year 2009."
Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, said, "RFMD is diversifying its customer base and product portfolio through a significant increase in new product introductions. We are particularly focused on new standard products for the open market, and the CDMA market greatly increases the scope of our open market opportunities."
The RF73xx product family is compatible with the leading commercially available CDMA baseband and covers all high-volume CDMA frequency bands. RFMD's RF73xx family consists of three single-band PA modules covering the cellular, PCS and AWS bands as well as a dual-band PA that combines the cellular and PCS bands, thereby enabling a size reduction in dual-band implementations. In each PA, individual bands of amplification are addressed with a band-specific, high-efficiency, linear PA that is designed to lower current consumption as output power levels decrease. The improved low-power efficiency is made possible through the use of three digital power modes that adjust bias current and optimize the PA for the desired output power range while maintaining linearity. Each PA in the RF73xx family integrates an output power coupler. The integrated coupler eliminates the need for external couplers in chipset implementations that monitor PA output power in order to make transmit power adjustments.
The RF2815 integrates a low noise-figure LNA, SAW filter and supporting components in a compact 3.3 x 2.1 x 1.0 mm module. The highly integrated RF2815 is optimized for both solution size and performance and is especially suited for battery-powered mobile devices, such as portable navigation devices (PNDs) and GPS-enabled CDMA handsets. The RF1126 single-pole double throw (SPDT) and RF1136 single-pole triple throw (SP3T) symmetric pHEMT switches offer industry-leading insertion loss and linearity, making them ideal for signal routing in multi-band CDMA designs implementing receive (Rx) diversity.
Technical features of the RF73xx Family include:
- Compact, low profile packages:
Single-band - 3 x 3 x 1 mm, Dual-Band - 4 x 5 x 1 mm
- Excellent low-power efficiency
- 3 power-mode states with chipset-specific digital control interfaces
- Integrated voltage regulator (Vreg)
- Integrated output power couplers
- Highly integrated modules requiring no external blocking or decoupling capacitors
Technical features of the RF2815 include:
- Low noise-figure: 0.85 dB typical
- High gain: 13.5 dB
- High IIP3: +8 dBm
- CMOS compatible shutdown mode
- Current consumption is tunable via a single resistor
- No external DC-blocking capacitors needed
Technical features of the RF1126 and RF1136 include:
- Very small footprint:
RF1126 - 2.0 x 1.3 x 0.35 mm QFN package, RF1136 - 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.45 mm QFN package
- Very low insertion loss
- Ideal for use in multi-band CDMA Rx diversity applications
Availability
Samples of the RF1126, RF1136 and RF2815 are available immediately, and samples of the RF73xx product family will be available in the second half of 2009. Pricing is available upon request by contacting an RFMD sales representative or by visiting www.rfmd.com/purchase. RFMD anticipates revenue generated by its CDMA front end portfolio to grow throughout calendar year 2009.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements included herein represent management's current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements or publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as is required under the federal securities laws. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in quarterly operating results, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, risks associated with our planned exit from our wireless systems business, including cellular transceivers and GPS solutions, the risk that restructuring charges may be greater than originally anticipated and that the cost savings and other benefits from the restructuring may not be achieved, risks associated with the operation of our wafer fabrication facilities, molecular beam epitaxy facility, assembly facility and test and tape and reel facilities, our ability to complete acquisitions and integrate acquired companies, including the risk that we may not realize expected synergies from our business combinations, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and develop leaders, variability in production yields, our ability to reduce costs and improve gross margins by implementing innovative technologies, our ability to bring new products to market, our ability to adjust production capacity in a timely fashion in response to changes in demand for our products, dependence on a limited number of customers, and dependence on third parties. These and other risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in RF Micro Devices' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements.
RF MICRO DEVICES® and RFMD® and POLARIS® are trademarks of RFMD, LLC. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
RFMD CDMA front end products to be launched in 2009 include power amplifiers (PAs), discrete switches and GPS low noise amplifier (LNA) modules with integrated filters. New products recently launched by RFMD include the RF73xx family of linear CDMA PAs, the RF1126 and RF1136 discrete switches and the RF2815 GPS LNA module with integrated surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter, designed for GPS-enabled CDMA mobile devices.
"We are very pleased to expand our industry-leading portfolio of cellular front end components to address the many opportunities in CDMA handsets," said Eric Creviston, president of RFMD's Cellular Products Group. "CDMA handsets totaled approximately 170 million units in 2008 and continue to represent a large segment of the overall handset market. We expect our CDMA product refresh will extend our reach to new customers and new design teams and expand our total available market by approximately 150 million units in calendar year 2009."
Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, said, "RFMD is diversifying its customer base and product portfolio through a significant increase in new product introductions. We are particularly focused on new standard products for the open market, and the CDMA market greatly increases the scope of our open market opportunities."
The RF73xx product family is compatible with the leading commercially available CDMA baseband and covers all high-volume CDMA frequency bands. RFMD's RF73xx family consists of three single-band PA modules covering the cellular, PCS and AWS bands as well as a dual-band PA that combines the cellular and PCS bands, thereby enabling a size reduction in dual-band implementations. In each PA, individual bands of amplification are addressed with a band-specific, high-efficiency, linear PA that is designed to lower current consumption as output power levels decrease. The improved low-power efficiency is made possible through the use of three digital power modes that adjust bias current and optimize the PA for the desired output power range while maintaining linearity. Each PA in the RF73xx family integrates an output power coupler. The integrated coupler eliminates the need for external couplers in chipset implementations that monitor PA output power in order to make transmit power adjustments.
The RF2815 integrates a low noise-figure LNA, SAW filter and supporting components in a compact 3.3 x 2.1 x 1.0 mm module. The highly integrated RF2815 is optimized for both solution size and performance and is especially suited for battery-powered mobile devices, such as portable navigation devices (PNDs) and GPS-enabled CDMA handsets. The RF1126 single-pole double throw (SPDT) and RF1136 single-pole triple throw (SP3T) symmetric pHEMT switches offer industry-leading insertion loss and linearity, making them ideal for signal routing in multi-band CDMA designs implementing receive (Rx) diversity.
Technical features of the RF73xx Family include:
- Compact, low profile packages:
Single-band - 3 x 3 x 1 mm, Dual-Band - 4 x 5 x 1 mm
- Excellent low-power efficiency
- 3 power-mode states with chipset-specific digital control interfaces
- Integrated voltage regulator (Vreg)
- Integrated output power couplers
- Highly integrated modules requiring no external blocking or decoupling capacitors
Technical features of the RF2815 include:
- Low noise-figure: 0.85 dB typical
- High gain: 13.5 dB
- High IIP3: +8 dBm
- CMOS compatible shutdown mode
- Current consumption is tunable via a single resistor
- No external DC-blocking capacitors needed
Technical features of the RF1126 and RF1136 include:
- Very small footprint:
RF1126 - 2.0 x 1.3 x 0.35 mm QFN package, RF1136 - 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.45 mm QFN package
- Very low insertion loss
- Ideal for use in multi-band CDMA Rx diversity applications
Availability
Samples of the RF1126, RF1136 and RF2815 are available immediately, and samples of the RF73xx product family will be available in the second half of 2009. Pricing is available upon request by contacting an RFMD sales representative or by visiting www.rfmd.com/purchase. RFMD anticipates revenue generated by its CDMA front end portfolio to grow throughout calendar year 2009.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements included herein represent management's current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements or publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as is required under the federal securities laws. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in quarterly operating results, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, risks associated with our planned exit from our wireless systems business, including cellular transceivers and GPS solutions, the risk that restructuring charges may be greater than originally anticipated and that the cost savings and other benefits from the restructuring may not be achieved, risks associated with the operation of our wafer fabrication facilities, molecular beam epitaxy facility, assembly facility and test and tape and reel facilities, our ability to complete acquisitions and integrate acquired companies, including the risk that we may not realize expected synergies from our business combinations, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and develop leaders, variability in production yields, our ability to reduce costs and improve gross margins by implementing innovative technologies, our ability to bring new products to market, our ability to adjust production capacity in a timely fashion in response to changes in demand for our products, dependence on a limited number of customers, and dependence on third parties. These and other risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in RF Micro Devices' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements.
RF MICRO DEVICES® and RFMD® and POLARIS® are trademarks of RFMD, LLC. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
RFMD
RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: RFMD) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance semiconductor components. RFMD's products enable worldwide mobility, provide enhanced connectivity and support advanced functionality in the cellular handset, wireless infrastructure, wireless local area network (WLAN), CATV/broadband and aerospace and defense markets. RFMD is recognized for its diverse portfolio of semiconductor technologies and RF systems expertise and is a preferred supplier to the world's leading mobile device, customer premises and communications equipment providers.
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities. RFMD is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol RFMD. For more information, please visit RFMD's web site at www.rfmd.com.
