LSI Logic invests in voice-over-DSL provider Tollbridge Technologies

LSI Logic invests in voice-over-DSL provider Tollbridge Technologies
By EBN
March 13, 2000 (5:14 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20000313S0040

MILPITAS, Calif. -- LSI Logic Corp. here has made a corporate investment in Tollbridge Technologies Inc., an insurgent company seeking to make an end run around traditional voice-service providers with a line of voice-over-broadband products.

The investment, which remains unspecified, is part of LSI's growingcommunications strategy, for which it recently created a $50 million venture fund. With communications as its fastest growing sector, LSI Logic has made no secret of its interest in emerging-technology developers.

"In a very short period of time, Tollbridge has already established itself as a leader in the high-growth voice-over-DSL space," said John Daane, executive vice president of the company's Communications Products Group. "LSI Logic is actively seeking leading-edge technology companies that compete in the global communications market for strategic equity investments."

TollBridge, of Santa Clara, Calif., claims that its technolo gy will "change the economics of delivering voice services by allowing carriers that own Class 5 switches to use broadband access technologies, such as DSL or cable, to bypass the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) and deliver toll-quality voice and integrated data services."

In addition, the company is one of the first customers of LSI Logic's ZSP digital-signal processor architecture, which it acquired last year through the purchase of ZSP Corp.