In This Issue
Leading the Digital Revolution
15 years of DSP
Memory
Mixed-Signal and Analog
Networking
Wireless
|
TI to acquire Amati Corp.Move strengthens TI's position in $6B xDSL marketTo further strengthen its leadership in providing digital signal processing solutions (DSPS) for high-speed Internet connectivity, Texas Instruments has entered into an agreement to acquire Amati Communications Corp., based in San Jose, Calif. Amati is a world leader in digital modem technology, also known as Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), which lets ordinary phone lines transmit data as much as 200 times faster than today's typical analog voiceband modems. Robust implementation of xDSL makes extensive use of DSP semiconductor technology, an area in which TI reigns as world leader. "The combination of Amati's xDSL technology and TI's digital signal processing solutions will enable faster, more reliable access to the Internet and the ability to use a single, existing phone line to simultaneously access voice, data and video," said Rich Templeton, president of TI's Semiconductor Group. This acquisition broadens the cooperative relationship that TI and Amati have had during the last year to build an xDSL chipset using TI's TMS320C6x core DSP technology and precision mixed-signal components, and Amati's leading discrete multi-tone (DMT) technology software. This chipset will be the industry's first fully software-programmable xDSL solution, which will mean that customers can upgrade their modems through a software download as new standards become available. Customer samples of this chipset are expected to be available in the first quarter of 1998. "The combination of both companies' leadership technologies enables the large scale deployment of digital modems and provides a worldwide reach for the experience and accomplishments of Amati's employees," said Jim Steenbergen, Amati's president and CEO. Concurrently, TI announced a strategic technology development program with Westell Technologies Inc. that will accelerate the use of TI's DSP-based xDSL technologies into Westell's DSL systems. These solutions will incorporate Amati's discrete multi-tone software technology. Amati will become a wholly owned subsidiary of TI reporting into the Semiconductor Group and will continue to operate from its facilities in San Jose. Amati, which employs about 120 workers, had fiscal year sales of $13.2 million for 1997.
|