Altair gets Japanese wireless win with Willcom Visit

28.5.2008

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Altair Semiconductor Ltd. (Hod Hasharon, Israel), which develops semiconductors for 4G mobile devices, has been selected to supply the chipsets for wireless devices operating on Willcom's next generation Personal Handyphone System ("XG-PHS") in Japan.

 

NETANYA, Israel — Altair Semiconductor Ltd. (Hod Hasharon, Israel), which develops semiconductors for 4G mobile devices, has been selected to supply the chipsets for wireless devices operating on Willcom's next generation Personal Handyphone System ("XG-PHS") in Japan.

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Eran Eshed, co-founder and vice president for marketing and business development at Altair, told EE Times that the deal is significant, but declined to comment on speculation in the Israeli press that the deal is worth several dozens of millions of dollars in the next three years. Eshed added that the company is set to announce further deals in Japan soon. Regarding the Korean market, Eshed hinted that the company is trying to win Samsung or LG as customers. He added that the company is also working to provide solutions for LTE.

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Altair will supply its ALTx150 series chipsets to Willcom's mobile handset and handheld device manufacturers.

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In March, Altair launched its ALT2150 WiMAX processor, which comes in a small package of 7×7 mm, implements WiMax Forum Wave-2 physical (PHY) layer and Media Access Control (MAC) functionality.

According to Oded Melmed, CEO and co-founder of Altair, "Willcom's selection of Altair's chipset validates our development of highly flexible and power-efficient processors that allow us to address different 4G markets and technologies with a single semiconductor platform. We felt a relationship with Willcom would be highly strategic in the early stages of our initial feasibility study, conducted with Harel-Hertz Investment House, who we also worked with through the project negotiations."

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On May 20, Altair said it would collaborate with Wintegra Inc. to accelerate the adoption of interoperable mobile WiMax basestation and customer premise equipment technologies. The companies will exchange hardware, software and expertise to facilitate more rapid adoption of the latest 802.16e mobility features, including throughput and power control, performance optimizing multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and advanced antenna system (AAS) technology in a mobile environment.

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Altair currently employs 85 workers, and according to Eshed, the company is in a good financial state, and will probably not need an IPO anytime soon. The company's investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, BRM Capital, Giza Venture Capital and Jerusalem Venture Partners. Altair has raised a total of $26 million in two rounds of financing.

Amir Ben-Artzi

(05/28/2008 4:59 AM EDT)

(source)