ShareWave and Cisco Collaborate to Extend Broadband Access Throughout the Home
EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. -- May 11, 1999 -- ShareWave, Inc., an ingredient supplier of multimedia-capable wireless home networking technology, today announced that Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) has adopted ShareWave Digital Wireless technology to incorporate into its home networking solutions. As part of Cisco's consumer strategy to enable high-speed "personal networks," ShareWave's technology will enable Cisco to extend the reach of a broadband network connection to a variety of consumer devices located throughout the home.
"Cisco's strategy is to license innovative technology in order to develop network-enabled services and applications that provide unique value to consumers," said Robba Benjamin, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Consumer Line of Business. "The combination of Cisco and ShareWave technologies will provide consumers with the ability to connect from their home to anyone, anywhere, anytime at high speeds."
ShareWave will initially develop a Wireless Ethernet Bridge reference design that incorporates ShareWave's Wireless Network Controllers and Cresta Digital Radio. The Wireless Ethernet Bridge is a wireless networking module that connects to a cable, ISDN, or DSL modem via an Ethernet port, standard interface on most of these devices. This Wireless Ethernet Bridge establishes a high-speed, wireless connection between cable, ISDN, or DSL modems and other networked devices in the home, such as remote PCs and mobile display pads. As a result, consumers can enjoy new broadband content and services that come across their high-speed connection on other devices in convenient locations around the home. ShareWave's wireless technology eliminates the need for the consumer to lay any new wires or cables.
"ShareWave's wireless technology enables greater broadband use by creating a high-speed, in-home network that allows consumers access to the digital content they want, where and when they want it," said Jim Schraith, ShareWave President and CEO. "This partnership allows Cisco to deliver a complete end-to-end solution from the service provider to the consumer."
Products that incorporate ShareWave Digital Wireless provide the end user with several key benefits, including the ability to interconnect PCs, phones, TVs, and other Internet devices over a single high-speed wireless network. These capabilities enable consumers to access many types of new broadband services, including VoIP (Voice over IP), video on demand, and high-speed Internet access from convenient locations and activity-appropriate devices anywhere in and around the home. Cisco included ShareWave Digital Wireless technology in its home networking demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 1999.
By adopting ShareWave's technology, Cisco solutions can extend throughout a wireless in-home network, the rich data, voice, and video streams delivered to the home via the broadband network. By seamlessly integrating broadband networks and the global Internet with personal home networks, Cisco will enable consumers to take full advantage of advanced network services. ShareWave Digital Wireless provides the final link in the delivery of broadband content to the consumer: a high bandwidth connection over the last 100 feet in the home. ShareWave Digital Wireless also creates additional revenue opportunities for service and content providers by increasing the use and utility of the services they provide across a Cisco broadband network.
"As Cisco enables a broadband infrastructure to the home, the need for home networking solutions increases," said John Todd of C.E. Unterberg, Towbin. "ShareWave's wireless technology allows the consumer to extend their high speed connection to all the other digital devices in the home."
About ShareWave Digital Wireless
ShareWave Digital Wireless is a portfolio of technologies that enable real-time multimedia-capable digital wireless connections among a variety of devices throughout the home. Devices built using ShareWave Digital Wireless are capable of sharing multimedia content including full-motion video, CD quality audio, voice, and data. These devices can also share external high-speed connections, as well as local capabilities such as processing power, storage and peripherals. Today, ShareWave Digital Wireless delivers a data rate of 4 Mbps, and will scale to 11 Mbps later this year. ShareWave Digital Wireless is the only technology that offers the high communication throughput of dedicated wired solutions combined with the convenience, flexibility and mobility of wireless solutions.About ShareWave
Founded in September 1996, ShareWave, Inc., is an ingredient supplier of multimedia-capable digital wireless home networking technology. ShareWave supplies highly integrated chipsets, network protocols, network software, and RF radio designs to the leaders of the computing, consumer electronics, and networking industries. ShareWave's vision is to establish a high-speed, multimedia-capable digital wireless network in the home that provides consumers with unrestricted access to the digital content they want, where and when they want it. ShareWave is privately held with its headquarters in El Dorado Hills, CA. ShareWave has received funding from Ameritech Corporation, APV Technology Partners, Cisco Systems, Draper Richards, L.P., Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Philips Electronics NV, Softbank Technology Partners, Vulcan Ventures, Inc., and other public and private investors.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Copyright) 1999 ShareWave, Inc. All rights reserved. ShareWave, ShareWave Digital Wireless, Whitecap, NAMI, Cresta, the Multimedia Furnace, and the "Magic Box" design mark are trademarks of ShareWave, Inc. in the United States and foreign countries.
Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S., Canada and other countries. All other brand names and trademarks mentioned in this document are properties of their respective owners.
