NEC Electronics America Announces Availability of First Host Controller Based on Certified Wireless USB Technology

Device Enables Wireless Data Transfer Speeds Up to 480 Megabits Per Second

SANTA CLARA, Calif., January 3, 2006 – NEC Electronics America, Inc. today announced that samples of the NEC Electronics host controller, based on Certified Wireless USB technology, are now available for shipping. The uPD720170 host controller enables high-speed, wireless transmission of data between personal computers (PCs) and PC peripheral devices such as printers, external storage equipment and digital cameras, and will be used for mobile phones and other consumer-type electronic devices as Certified Wireless USB technology is adopted in those markets. The host controller is designed to promote new levels of wireless connectivity, at data transfer rates up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps) within a range of three meters, while eliminating the need for cumbersome wires.

The uPD720170 host controller supports eight data tranfer rates (from 53.3 to 480 Mbps) and four data transfer types (control, bulk, interrupt and isochronous), and can connect up to 32 physical devices simultaneously. The host controller is based on the WiMedia MAC and WiMedia MAC-PHY interface specifications, as well as the Wireless Host Controller Interface (WHCI) specification developed by Intel with support from Microsoft, NEC, Philips, Texas Instruments and other experts in Certified Wireless USB technology and the WiMedia Alliance’s ultra-wideband (UWB) common radio platform. To facilitate development of applications based on Certified Wireless USB technology and the uPD720170 host controller, NEC Electronics, in collaboration with several ultra-wideband (UWB) PHY chip manufacturers, will provide reference boards in the second quarter of 2006.

NEC is a leading proponent of the current USB 2.0 specification and has played an important role in developing USB technologies as a member of the USB Implementers Forum. Since launching volume production of USB 2.0 devices in 2000, NEC Electronics has shipped an industry-leading 100 million units*. The company is committed to continuing its development of products based on Certified Wireless USB technology to meet the need for high-speed wireless data transfer.

The uPD720170 host controller and other NEC Electronics solutions will be on display January 5-8, 2006, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas at the NEC Electronics America exhibit in the USB TechZone (Sands Convention Center, booth #70050P).

Pricing and Availability
Samples of the uPD720170 host controller are now available for US$20 each, and volume production is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2006. (Pricing and availability are subject to change.) More information about NEC Electronics’ lineup of solutions based on Certified Wireless USB technology from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) can be found at http://www.necel.com/usb/en/wusb/index.html.

About Certified Wireless USB
Certified Wireless USB from the USB Implementers Forum is the first high-speed wireless personal interconnect technology combining the speed and security of wired Hi-Speed USB with the ease-of-use of wireless technology. Certified Wireless USB is based on the WiMedia Alliance ultra-wideband common radio platform. It has been designed to coexist with the other upper-layer protocols built atop the WiMedia Architecture. It delivers a bandwidth of up to 480Mbps at three meters and 110Mbps at ten meters. Certified Wireless USB will maintain the same scalable device performance and capability while also addressing new consumer electronics requirements.

About NEC Electronics America, Inc.
NEC Electronics America, Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a leading provider of semiconductor products encompassing advanced technology solutions for the broadband and communications markets; system solutions for the mobile, PC, automotive and digital consumer markets; and platform solutions for a wide range of customer applications. NEC Electronics America offers a local manufacturing facility in Roseville, California, and the global manufacturing capabilities of its parent company. NEC Electronics America is also the North American marketing and sales channel, specializing in industrial applications, for active-matrix LCDs from NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd., a global leader in innovative display technologies. More information about the products offered by NEC Electronics America, Inc. can be found at http://www.am.necel.com.

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* Internal assessment as of June 2004.