Atheros’ XSPAN Dual-Band Solutions Selected for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM) 802.11n Draft 2.0 Test Suite

Atheros’ XSPAN Dual-Band Solutions Selected for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM) 802.11n Draft 2.0 Test Suite

With Wi-Fi Alliance’s Coming Certification of Wireless Products, N is Now

Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR) , a leading developer of advanced wireless solutions, today announced that two of its 802.11n draft 2.0-compliant solutions have been selected by the Wi-Fi Alliance for inclusion in its newly announced Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program. Atheros’ XSPAN(TM) with Signal-Sustain Technology(TM) (SST) 802.11n Dual-concurrent 2.4/5GHz Router and its Dual-band 2.4/5GHz CardBus Adapter are included in the Wi-Fi Alliance test bed. These solutions are based on the same XSPAN technology implemented by Atheros’ customers since the launch of the company’s first 802.11n products in 2006, increasing assurance of Wi-Fi certification for XSPAN-based end products.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program was developed by the industry alliance to help ensure baseline performance and interoperability among end products. To achieve certification, devices must demonstrate interoperability with reference products selected for the test bed. The Wi-Fi Alliance’s decision to certify end-user products based upon the current 802.11n draft 2.0 specification in advance of the IEEE’s final ratification signals the stability of the draft and creates a significant transition for the industry. In addition, the Wi-Fi Alliance certification program gives end users greater confidence to purchase 802.11n products now.

“Having actively driven the development of the 802.11n specification since 2003, Atheros is very pleased that the industry is now ensuring cross-vendor product performance and interoperability through certification,” said Todd Antes, vice president of marketing for Atheros. “By removing barriers which may have previously discouraged purchase of 802.11n products, 11n is no longer next, it’s Now.”

“The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program is a significant milestone for the Wi-Fi industry and marks the maturity of draft-based products,” said Frank Hanzlik, managing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “Certification will help deliver the user experience needed to increase the adoption of 802.11n products.”

Launched in January 2006, Atheros’ XSPAN products have already achieved broad market adoption by customers worldwide — including AsusTek, Belkin, Corega, D-Link, I-O Data, Lenovo, Linksys, NEC, NEC-AT, Siemens, SMC, TRENDnet, ZyXEL and others yet to be announced.

The IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 specification is designed to provide significantly increased bandwidth of up to 600Mbps, compared to legacy WLAN standards that offer 54Mbps data rates. Atheros’ XSPAN products featured in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED testing program deliver the full potential of the 802.11n draft 2.0 specification by providing operation in both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands, ensuring the ultimate end-user experience.