Infineon Introduces a Multichannel Line Testing Solution for “All Digital” Local Loops With Significantly Reduced System Costs

Neubiberg, Germany and Paris, France – September 7, 2009 – Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) today at the Broadband World Forum in Paris introduced a new chipset designed to provide integrated line testing on xDSL access equipment. The unique, extremely cost effective and reliable multichannel Metallic Line Testing (MLT) solution with built-in ‘wetting current’ function offers sophisticated line and loop testing features for real-time monitoring of voice quality and network stability with test head accuracy and zero impact on the DSL performance. Compared to traditional test approaches the Infineon MLT chipset provides a significant system cost advantage of up to 90 percent.

Increasingly, telecom operators are migrating their current network infrastructure towards a Next Generation Network (NGN) architecture replacing legacy PSTN by a single IP-based network for the Voice & Data transmission. One preferred implementation scenario is the ‘All Digital’ loop approach, where the voice signal is packetized at the customer premises and transported as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) packets in the DSL stream. Within this new digital network, operators need to implement new methodologies to test, diagnose and locate line impairments in the loop.

“With MLT Infineon is introducing a revolutionary new line testing and loop monitoring solution for All-IP networks, which helps our customers to significantly reduce their systems costs,” said Christian Wolff, President of the Wireline Communications Division at Infineon Technologies. “The MLT solution enables operators to perform ‘PSTN grade’ line testing within xDSL access equipment with no impact on the DSL performance.”

The chip set supports all DSL technologies (ADSL, VDSL & SHDSL) and matches the accuracy of external test heads while offering an extended feature set compared to traditional PSTN line testing, including features like board production tests and search tone. The MLT solution also has the ability to supply the wetting current (low current provided to prevent line oxidation) required to ensure reliable long term operation of the local loop, and allows the operator to perform continuous line testing without requiring that the customer goes offline.

About MLT

The Infineon MLT solution consists of a 128 channel Line Test Controller (VINETIC™-LTC) and a 16 channel SLIC (Smart SLIC™-T16). The Smart SLIC-T16 is designed to connect up to 16 physical DSL lines and applies the wetting current to those lines. The high level of integration featured in the Infineon MLT solution means that it has no density impact on high channel count DSL linecards.

Compared with the current line testing operation, which uses a switching matrix to connect an external test head or a test card, the Infineon MLT chipset provides a system cost advantage of up to 90 percent. Moreover, the extremely low (negligible) power consumption supports the European Code of Conduct requirements and is fully compliant to the G.LT test standard in ITU.

The new MLT solution compliments Infineon’s established SELT (Single Ended Line Testing) solution for ADSL and VDSL, which already provides loop information to the operator such as loop length estimation, data rate estimation, bridge tap detection and crosstalk analysis. Infineon's SELT solution also provides information on potential RFI disturbers and estimates where on the line the suspected disturbance is occurring.

Availability

Engineering samples of the VINETIC-LTC and Smart SLIC-T16 parts and complete design-in and system packages (including evaluation board, hardware design guide, schematics, firmware, high level API software) are available now and are presented in the Infineon booth (#245) at the Broadband World Forum (Paris, CNIT, September 7-9, 2009).

For more information please check the Infineon web site at: http://www.infineon.com/MLT

On July 7, 2009, Infineon Technologies announced that it had agreed to sell its Wireline Communications Division (WLC) to the private equity investor Golden Gate Capital. The Division will become LANTIQ after the closing of the transaction in fall. LANTIQ will be among the Top 15 fabless semiconductor companies worldwide and be a one-stop solution provider for the wireline communication and broadband access markets. It will be one of the very few vendors offering a complete DSL end-to-end portfolio and have a unique ability to integrate DSL, VoIP and home connectivity into complex SoCs.

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2008 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 4.3 billion with approximately 29,100 employees worldwide in continuing operations. With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).