MIPS multi-threaded CPUs from Imagination push performance to new levels for Altair's new LTE chipsets

Leader in single-mode LTE chipsets leverages MIPS to pursue opportunity in LTE-only devices

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – 21 March, 2013 – Imagination Technologies (IMG.L), a leading multimedia, processor, communications and cloud technologies company, announces that two new baseband processors from Altair Semiconductor, a leading developer of high performance, single-mode LTE chipsets, are powered by MIPS CPU cores from Imagination. Altair’s new FourGee™-3800 and FourGee™-3802 processors are built on the architecture of Altair’s MIPS-Based Verizon-Certified FourGee-3100/6200 chipset, with enhanced features and increased performance, supporting the newest LTE standards.

Multi-threading technology within the chips enables better overall throughput, quality of service (QoS), and power/performance efficiency. The new chipsets each include multiple multi-threaded MIPS cores controlling various functions, including the high-performance 700MHz network processor subsystem.

With ultra-low active and idle power consumption, the latest LTE features and functionality and a broad set of host and peripheral interfaces, the new Altair chipsets are designed to support a range of applications including smartphones, tablets, mobile hotspots, routers and M2M. Multi-threading technology can be a particular advantage in balancing cost, performance and power for these devices, boosting performance where multiple latency-sensitive tasks must be handled simultaneously.

Eran Eshed, co-founder and VP marketing of Altair, says: “MIPS cores are at the heart of all our FourGee product families, which are gaining increasing traction across the globe. The inherent scalability and efficiency of MIPS cores, along with their compelling multi-threading technology, help us to provide the right mix of performance, features and cost. We see a great opportunity for our single-mode chipsets as carriers look to avoid the high cost of 3G and multi-mode solutions in a range of applications, including the ‘internet of things,’ which has the potential to achieve billions of units over the next decade. We are pleased to work with Imagination to help our customers achieve success in the market.”

Says Tony King-Smith, EVP marketing, Imagination Technologies: “As LTE networks become increasingly pervasive, OEMs and carriers are looking to take advantage of the extra speed that 4G provides, while ensuring affordability for consumers across the globe. This is particularly true for IoT devices, where high-end functionality meets embedded power constraints and economics. We are delighted to continue our long relationship with Altair as it powers a new generation of LTE devices with its innovative and proven MIPS-Based solutions.”

Altair’s new FourGee™-3800 and FourGee™-3802 chipsets, together with a new a new radio chip – the FourGee™-6300 – comprise a new chipset family that includes support for LTE Release 10 features, Category 4 throughput, support for Carrier Aggregation (CA), wide frequency band span of 400-3800MHz with six concurrent LTE bands for both primary and diversity antennas for global band combinations, integrated IMS/VoLTE with support for HD-Voice, Altair’s proprietary interference cancellation technology, Envelope Tracking (ET) technology, enhanced Inter-cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) and other advanced features.

About Altair Semiconductor

Altair Semiconductor is the world’s leading developer of ultra-low power, small footprint and high performance 4G semiconductors. Altair’s chipsets can be found in approximately 30 end-user devices – ranging from USB dongles to smartphones – built by its more than 15 customers across North America, Europe, China, India and Taiwan – making it one of the only TDD/FDD LTE chipset manufacturers in the world with commercially available products. Altair’s comprehensive product portfolio includes baseband processors, multi-band RF transceivers for both FDD and TDD bands, and a range of reference hardware and product level protocol stack software. Based on a novel, proprietary Software Defined Radio (SDR) processor, codenamed “O[2]P™”, Altair’s products are the smallest and most highly power optimized in the industry, offering an unmatched combination of flexibility and performance. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.altair-semi.com.

About Imagination Technologies

Imagination Technologies - a global leader in multimedia, processor and communication technologies - creates and licenses market-leading processor solutions including graphics, video, vision, CPU & embedded processing, multi-standard communications, cross-platform V.VoIP & VoLTE and cloud connectivity. These silicon and software intellectual property (IP) solutions for systems-on-chip (SoC) are complemented by an extensive portfolio of software, tools and ecosystems. Target markets include mobile phone, connected home consumer, mobile and tablet computing, in-car electronics, networking, telecoms, health, smart energy and connected sensors. Imagination's licensees include many of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers, network operators and OEM/ODMs. Corporate headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, with sales and R&D offices worldwide. See: www.imgtec.com.