- First integration of high-performance processor, switch, PHY, USB 3.0, and traffic accelerator
- Provides fast and stable Gigabit connectivity for homes and small businesses
- Provides speeds 10 times faster and 40 percent improved power efficiency compared to existing solutions

June 14, 2012 – Broadcom, a global wired and wireless semiconductor company, today announced the launch of a 5G Wi-Fi SoC for homes and small and medium-sized businesses. The new SoC from Broadcom is designed as part of the 5G Wi-Fi 802.11ac solution family and is the industry's first to integrate a high-performance processor, Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch, GbE PHY, USB 3.0, and traffic accelerator all on a single chip.

With the consumption of high-capacity content, such as video, rapidly increasing these days, 5G Wi-Fi will play a crucial role in providing this content reliably with faster output. Broadcom’s newly introduced StrataGX™ for small and medium-sized business routers and NAS devices, and the BCM4708x for home routers and gateways, realize standalone platforms that enable 5G Wi-Fi to deliver Gigabit wireless speeds, providing a complete end-to-end solution. These allow multiple users in homes or offices to simultaneously stream video content and download high-bandwidth applications at speeds 10 times faster, without buffering or interruptions.

The new devices support Broadcom's Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) feature, reducing power consumption by 70 percent when enabled and up to 95 percent during downtime.

The spread of 5G Wi-Fi
The reliance on wireless networks, high-capacity content such as video, and the increase in wireless devices are placing a significant burden on existing 802.11a/b/g/n networks. 5G Wi-Fi is solving this problem by saving battery while enabling mobile device users to stream digital content faster and allowing more devices to connect to home and enterprise networks.

Market Trends
• The growth of large-scale traffic (especially video) threatens current networks
• By 2016, it is expected that people will own an average of 6 devices and synchronize them wirelessly.
• The need for energy savings and low energy costs driving regulatory compliance in home networking

Key Features
• Provides high-performance 5G Wi-Fi Gigabit connectivity for home appliances and devices for small and medium-sized businesses
• Acceleration engine optimized for 5G Wi-Fi and OTT content
• Various auxiliary devices support NFC, video/audio, and network storage applications
• Integrated GbE PHY/switch and regulator enable flexible and scalable solutions for various GbE router platforms
• Supports USB 3.0, providing up to 10 times the transfer speed of USB 2.0 for high-speed storage.

The StrataGX BCM5301x and BCM4708x series are currently being supplied as samples, and mass production is scheduled for the second half of 2012.

Ed Redmond, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Infrastructure and Networking Group, said, “Broadcom is well known as an industry leader in innovation and integration.” “The recently launched SoCs demonstrate Broadcom’s exceptional ability to combine the best IP across the entire organization,” he said. “The newly released StrataGX solution enables networks for small and medium-sized businesses to deliver a new level of functionality in video applications such as video conferencing, while the BCM4708 solution enables consumer networks to achieve exceptional video streaming. Consequently, this translates to the ability to share and stream higher-resolution video with a higher level of quality experience.”

Michael Hurlston, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Mobile and Wireless Group, added, “As consumers increasingly expect to access and view video and other high-bandwidth content on their mobile devices within their homes, 5G Wi-Fi enabled features are entering the market. These highly integrated SoC products will encourage market adoption of 5G Wi-Fi and contribute to expanding the ecosystem of devices that can benefit home and small business network users worldwide.”

In addition, Philip Solis, Research Director for Mobile Devices at research firm ABI Research, stated, "The ecosystem of digital home and small business networks is rapidly evolving due to the use of high-bandwidth applications, the introduction of new devices, and the increasing need for wireless connectivity." He added, "While operators must meet traffic demands and low energy requirements (promoting development and adopting the latest Wi-Fi versions), expectations from consumers and experts that future wireless connectivity will rival Ethernet speeds are continuously rising."