News Release
INTEL INTRODUCES FIRST SINGLE-CHIP PROCESSOR FOR PHONES RUNNING ADVANCED WIRELESS DATA NETWORKS
Latest “Wireless-Internet-on-a-Chip” Processor Supports Speedy EDGE Data Networks
Intel today announced the industry’s first single-chip processor for cellular phones using Enhanced Data Rates for GSM
Evolution (EDGE) wireless networks. EDGE is an emerging technology that sends and receives data two to three times
faster than today’s GSM/GPRS (2.5G) networks, enabling higher quality multimedia and other broadband applications for
mobile phone users.
The Intel® PXA800EF cellular processor – the latest product to use Intel’s advanced “Wireless Internet on a Chip”
technology – combines the key components of today’s cellular phones and handheld computers onto a single microchip to
enable advanced features, new data capabilities, longer battery life and more innovative designs for mainstream phones.
High-speed wireless networks such as EDGE promise to significantly increase the amount of data processed on a handset,
turning the traditional cell phone into a “converged” device capable of high-performance computing and communications.
As carriers offer new wireless applications and services to take advantage of the higher data rates, the new processor
will be well-equipped to manage the requirements of a converged device to provide a high-quality experience for users.
The new cellular processor is a key component of the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel® PCA), Intel’s
development blueprint for designing wireless handheld communication devices that combine voice communications and
Internet access capabilities.
“The Intel PXA800EF processor demonstrates the ability of Intel’s ‘Wireless-Internet-on-a-Chip’ technology to support
multiple cellular networks on a single piece of silicon,” said Hans Geyer, Intel vice president and general manager of
its PCA Components Group. “This enables phone makers to develop a range of phones using a single platform design,
offering leading performance and connectivity from entry-level GSM/GPRS to faster EDGE cellular networks.”
Scaleable, Powerful by Design
The Intel PXA800EF cellular processor is built using the same chip design as the Intel® PXA800F cellular processor,
Intel’s GSM/GPRS product announced earlier this year. To add support for EDGE networks, Intel made certain software
modifications and increased the speed of the communications processing of its Intel® Micro Signal Architecture.
The extra performance and flexibility of the chip design allows phone makers to create a family of products with a
variety of features using a shared design. For example, the Intel PXA800F cellular processor gives phone developers the
option of offering 104MHz of computing performance for entry-level devices, or up to 312MHz for more advanced
applications on GSM/GPRS networks. For advanced phones running the faster EDGE networks, phone makers can use the Intel
PXA800EF cellular processor, with an integrated 312MHz processor using Intel® XScale™ technology to take advantage of
both network speed and applications performance.
In addition to the high-performance, low-power processor running at 312 MHz, the new cellular processor features 4
megabytes (MB) of integrated Intel® On-Chip Flash memory and 512 kilobytes (KB) of SRAM for industry leading application
performance.
The Intel PXA800EF cellular processor also includes a 156 MHz signal processor using the Intel Micro Signal Architecture
with 512 KB of integrated Intel On-Chip Flash memory and 64 KB of SRAM, resulting in a complete system on a single chip
for advanced EDGE cellular networks.
Pricing and Availability
The Intel PXA800EF cellular processor is sampling today with production volumes expected in the first quarter of 2004.
Cellular phones using the new processors will be available later in 2004. The Intel PXA800EF cellular processor has a
suggested list price of $29.15 (US) in 10,000 unit quantities.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications
products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom
Intel and XScale are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States
and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
ENDS