BROADCOM UNVEILS BLUETOOTH EDR CHIP FOR STEREO HEADSETS.

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), Irvine, Calif., a leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, has unveiled a single-chip Bluetooth(R) solution optimized for wireless stereo headsets. The new chip features Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) capabilities that provide superior audio fidelity and longer battery life for an improved end-user experience. The new device is the first Bluetooth chip designed specifically for stereo headsets offered by Broadcom, and is the first product resulting from the company's recent acquisition of wireless audio specialist Zeevo, Inc.

Electronics manufacturers continue to offer advanced digital audio capabilities in an increasingly wide array of products, including cellular phones, PDAs and other devices capable of playing digital music files. At the same time, the presence of Bluetooth wireless technology has expanded in these devices, enabling consumers to enjoy a convenient, un-tethered listening experience. The Bluetooth wireless headset market has grown significantly as manufacturers introduce products to take advantage of the technology. In-Stat market research estimates that wireless headsets will grow to nearly 90 million units per year by 2008.

"This new EDR capable Bluetooth stereo headset design, based on technology we obtained through our acquisition of Zeevo, extends our leadership position in the stereo headset market," said Scott Bibaud, senior director of Marketing for Broadcom's Bluetooth products. "Our new BCM2037 chip truly moves the bar higher in terms of the required features for wireless stereo headsets, including advanced digital audio processing and EDR for longer batter life resulting in much more satisfying user experience."

The Broadcom(R) Blutonium(R) BCM2037 stereo headset chip includes a Bluetooth baseband and radio, as well as an optimized architecture designed to provide the best audio experience possible for users of wireless stereo headsets. In particular, the BCM2037 is the first headset-specific chip available that includes EDR, a technology that triples the data rate of non-EDR Bluetooth chips from 1 Megabits per second (Mb/s) to 3 Mb/s. To complement this solution, Broadcom has already introduced an EDR chip (the BCM2045) for host products such as cellular phones, notebook computers and other mobile devices. The higher throughput significantly reduces power consumption by minimizing transmit times and thereby increasing the battery life of headsets based on the BCM2037.

The higher data-rate of EDR also provides other user advantages such as:

* A more robust connection between the headset and the host by enabling the system to retransmit packets and refill buffers faster, minimizing the possibility of missed packets or interrupted audio

* The ability for a device based on the BCM2037 to connect and maintain simultaneous links to multiple Bluetooth enabled devices, such as an MP3 player, a phone, and a personal computer

* The ability to stream stereo audio from a single source to multiple headsets

* The ability to transmit full, uncompressed stereo audio rather than imposing limits on the types of audio files that can be transmitted to the headset

Optimized Stereo Audio Architecture

Catering to the specific requirements of manufacturers of stereo wireless headsets, the BCM2037 features a unique architecture that offers specialized audio processing for stereo applications. The design improves audio processing efficiency to reduce power consumption and delivers a superior stereo experience over a Bluetooth link. The chip is powered by an on-board ARM7(TM) processor, providing a familiar software development environment that allows manufacturers to easily port software from one product to another, thereby decreasing development time, while improving time-to-market for their products.

Availability

The BCM2037 is currently sampling to Broadcom's early access partners with production availability expected in the third quarter of 2005.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors. Our products enable the convergence of high-speed data, high definition video, voice and audio at home, in the office and on the go. Broadcom provides manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices with the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe.

For more information, call 949/450-8700 or visit http://www.broadcom.com.