‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, November 27, 2007 – SiTel Semiconductor and RTX Telecom today announced the successful completion of the first stage of interoperability testing for the CAT-iq (Cordless Advanced Technology – internet and quality) standard. By complying with the CAT-iq (vb) profile, cordless handsets developed by RTX using SiTels single-chip DECT telephone silicon are amongst the first products to achieve this initial step towards full CAT-iq certification.
“We are very proud to have reached this milestone – one that clearly highlights SiTel and RTXs commitment to supporting DECT developments and the CAT-iq standard,” stated Rene Kohlmann, CTO of Sitel. “As the first to bring CAT-iq (vb) compliant, single-chip semiconductor solutions to the market, we are helping our customers deliver the exciting consumer products and innovative features for wireless home communications and entertainment that this new standard enables.”
“The CAT-iq implementation from SiTel and RTX demonstrates our dedication to be leading suppliers of solutions for the DECT cordless market,” said Jens Jungersen, Vice President of RTX Telecom A/S. “Amongst other compelling features we believe CAT-iq will bring attention to the all important audio quality of our communication devices, to the great benefit of the consumer and by that to our customers.”
The handsets were tested by CETECOM at a DECT Forum IOP Event in Saarbrücken, Germany on October 30, 2007. Interoperability is a central issue in CAT-iq, and will become even more important as the range of available CAT-iq solutions grows beyond cordless phones. Through its IOP Events, the DECT Forum aims to fine tune all possible implementations of CAT-iq to be compatible with each other and ensure a high level of interoperability.
“Im very pleased to see SiTel and RTX successfully passing the IOP tests,” said Eric Kamperschroer, chairman of the DECT Forum. “The wideband voice profile is the first profile providing basic interoperability and the availability of compliant silicon and handsets gives real momentum to the worldwide adoption of CAT-iq.”
The CAT-iq (vb) profile targets cost-effective cordless phones offering standard telephony services. The profile ensures basic GAP interoperability plus backwards compatibility with DECT and PSTN. It supports narrowband (G.726) and wideband (G.722) communication for both the fixed part (FP) and portable part (PP) of a system, allowing for up to 1 narrowband and 2 wideband calls within a CAT-iq system. In addition, it provides for Calling Line Identification Presentation (CLIP) on external calls.
About SiTel Semiconductor BV
SiTel Semiconductor BV was established in June 2005, following a management buy-out from National Semiconductor Corporation. Headquartered in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, SiTel is a fabless manufacturer with design centers in The Netherlands and Greece along with regional sales offices in Hong Kong, Japan and the U.S. The company specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing of high-performance CMOS solutions for digital cordless and corded communication and is the worlds number one DCT supplier for cordless voice, real-time data and VoIP.
For more information, visit www.sitelsemi.com
About RTX Telecom A/S
RTX Telecom A/S is an internationally oriented group that aims to be the preferred partner for the development and production of advanced wireless communication IP and solutions. RTX is divided into four business units, each with its own area of wireless expertise: RTX Technology, RTX Consumer Products, RTX Network Systems and RTX Healthcare. The company is domiciled in Denmark with offices in California, Romania and Hong Kong. RTX Telecom A/S is listed on the Nordic Stock Exchange Copenhagen (OMX). Please visit www.rtx.dk for further information.