picoChip integrates ArrayComm’s Network MIMO™ software for WiMAX

Jan 11, 2006 – BATH, ENGLAND and SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

picoChip and ArrayComm announced today that they have forged an alliance, under which ArrayComm’s Network MIMO™ software will be incorporated into the PHY of picoChip’s flexible wireless solution. picoChip will offer this solution as a software option to its customers to add smart antennas and MIMO to their advanced WiMAX basestation and subscriber station designs. ArrayComm’s Network MIMO software implements all the antenna processing aspects of the WiMAX profiles approved by the WiMAX Forum Mobile Task Group (MTG) for IEEE 802.16e. The ArrayComm solution includes support for MIMO, adaptive antenna systems (AAS) and combined MIMO/AAS modes on both subscriber terminals and basestations. These provide operators the optimized user data rates, cell range, and network capacity they need to meet their business objectives for mobile broadband services.

MIMO and AAS, used in combination, increase subscriber data rates, improve cell-edge link budgets, manage interference, and maximize overall network capacity. The result is a significant performance advantage for WiMAX. ArrayComm provides Network MIMO software that integrates with picoChip’s WiMAX PHY and picoArray processor.

Commenting on the new agreement, picoChip’s CTO and Co-founder Doug Pulley said, “Adaptive antenna technology and MIMO are key distinguishing features of the WiMAX specification; they will be critical in assuring WiMAX success. This functionality, as an option for the picoChip software, will be a major advantage to picoChip’s customers, giving them the flexibility to easily incorporate smart antenna technology into their designs. picoChip believes that ArrayComm is the leader in this space and we want our customers to have the best.”

“picoChip has demonstrated that it is ahead of the game in providing innovative and flexible solutions for wireless broadband access systems. Future applications will need smart antenna technology to deliver the cost and performance advantages that WiMAX promises. This partnership is a significant step toward realizing our shared vision for the future of WiMAX technology,” added Martin Cooper, ArrayComm’s executive chairman.

About picoChip

picoChip, located in Bath, England, is dedicated to providing innovative, flexible wireless solutions to help equipment makers minimize time-to-market, costs, and system power consumption.

The heart of the company’s offering is a scaleable, multi-processor baseband IC that combines the computational density of a dedicated ASIC with the programmability of a traditional high end Digital Signal Processor. This radically reduces both development time and materials cost and enables the strategic goal of the “Software Defined Radio”. The company has the most comprehensive reference designs in the industry, with complete, standard-compliant solutions for both UMTS (including HSDPA) and WiMAX (802.16d upgradeable to 802.16e). See www.picochip.com for more information.

About ArrayComm

ArrayComm LLC, a Ygomi Group company, is the leader in antenna processing for wireless systems. ArrayComm software delivers large gains in range, capacity, data rates, and coverage quality for all wireless communications protocols, in base station, client device, or MIMO architectures. ArrayComm smart antenna software is implemented in WiMAX, PHS, GSM, WLL, WCDMA, and HC-SDMA networks, and it is operating in more than 275,000 commercial deployments today. For wireless equipment manufacturers, tapping ArrayComm’s unmatched experience in smart antenna applications enables significant performance and time-to-market advantages while reducing development cost and technical risk. For more information, please visit www.arraycomm.com.

picoArray is a registered trademark of picoChip. ArrayComm and Network MIMO are trademarks of ArrayComm LLC. All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.

Mara Craggs, ArrayComm LLC +1 (408) 952-1868 mcraggs@arraycomm.com