Intel invests $150 million in wireless technology

WASHINGTON -- Intel Corporation has announced plans to invest $150 million in companies developing Wi-Fi technology. The investment is another step in the company's efforts to accelerate wireless network deployment and proliferate the Wi-Fi standard worldwide.

"Wi-Fi is one of the ripest areas for innovation in the industry," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. "Intel will continue to play a key role in its development through investments, research, industry programs and products." 

Wi-Fi technology, also called 802.11, is an emerging and increasingly popular technology that provides high-speed wireless Internet access in many locations around the world, including airports, cafes, corporate offices, universities, factories and homes.

"Wi-Fi use is experiencing explosive growth. Estimates show that it could grow to 30 million laptops equipped with Wi-Fi capability in three years," said Intel Executive Vice President and Intel Capital President Les Vadasz. "It will fundamentally change the way people use technology and enable high-speed Internet access anytime, anywhere for business and consumer use."

Commitment to Wi-Fi

Speaking to transportation industry officials at the Wireless Airport Association Conference and Exposition this week in Washington, Vadasz discussed Intel Capital's commitment to investing in Wi-Fi technology and urged the acceleration of hot-spot deployment at airports nationwide.

Intel has made significant investments internally and externally in a number of wireless programs focused on establishing industry-wide, global technical standards, developing wireless products, and seeding market development. Examples include designing wireless capabilities into products; working with other companies to establish standards to solve wireless security and ease-of-use technical problems; equipping Intel offices and factories with wireless network access points; making venture investments; and researching advanced wireless technologies like smart antennas and intelligent roaming.

In addition, the company is devoting significant resources and attention to Banias, codename for the first mobile computing technology designed from the bottom up for the unique requirements of mobile PC users. For the first time, it will include dual band (802.11a and 802.11b) wireless capability as a standard part of combined chipset and processor technology. Banias will be available in the first half of next year. 

Intel investments

The Intel Communications Fund will invest in companies developing hardware and software products and services that enable easier-to-use and more secure wireless network connections, simpler billing procedures, a more robust network infrastructure, and new ways to connect to high-speed networks outdoors and to deliver services run over the network. Intel Capital, Intel's strategic investment program, has already invested approximately $25 million in more than 10 companies in this space. 

The Intel Communications Fund, managed by Intel Capital, was established in September 1999 and focuses on accelerating Intel voice and data communications initiatives. The $500 million fund will devote $150 million specifically for investment in Wi-Fi companies worldwide. The Intel Communications Fund has made more than 80 investments in 17 countries on five continents.

Two weeks ago, Intel announced the opening of a new Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA) Software Optimizations Lab to help application developers maximize the performance of software for mobile phones and PDAs based on the Intel XScale technology. The lab is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and will be integrated into Intel's Wireless Competence Center, which opened in December 1999. This is the latest lab to open, with more expected early next year. Intel opened its first lab in August 2002 in Arizona.

Handheld devices

In order for users to fully experience the power of handheld devices using the Intel XScale technology, the applications that run on them need to be optimized. Handheld devices based on the Intel PXA250 application processor perform anywhere from 20 to 60 percent better and consume less power than Intel Strong ARM, based devices when running optimized applications, such as multimedia, gaming and security.

"Whenever a new generation of processors are introduced, the software needs to be optimized in order to take full advantage of all the new capabilities and benefits," said Tony Sica, vice president and director of group marketing for Intel's Wireless Communications and Computing Group. "Having an Intel Optimizations Lab in the heart of the mobile phone industry will help us enable the large number of handset technology and software experts interested in optimizing their applications for Intel XScale technology."

The Intel PXA250 and Intel PXA210 processors-based on the Intel XScale technology-were introduced last February and have been designed into a significant number of new products by leading handheld and wireless manufacturers. The Intel Xscale microarchitecture is a key component of Intel PCA, Intel's platform architecture for next generation mobile Internet devices. 

Developer network

The Intel PCA Developer Network is a Web-based community for application developers, device manufacturers, development tools vendors, and service providers that are developing solutions based on Intel PCA with more than 400 members in Europe alone. The network currently has more than 650 solutions and tools developed for Intel PCA. All Intel PCA Developer Network members have access to the Intel Software Optimization Lab.

Intel engineers in Massachusetts and Shanghai have been working to develop a comprehensive set of development and optimization tools to speed the creation of optimized applications, such as the new Intel XScale Microarchitecture Software Development Tools, which include a compiler, debuggers and simulators. In addition, optimization tools like Intel VTune Performance Analyzer and Intel Integrated Performance Primitives help maximize the performance and power benefits of a particular application.

The Stockholm Wireless Competence Center's mission is to strengthen Intel's position in the wireless market by developing collaborations and technology concepts with industry leaders. It acts as a regional competence center that foresees, visualizes and influences the future of mobile technologies. The center was established in December 1999 and is a part of a global network with other centers in Tsukuba, Japan and Beijing, China.