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Broadcom Announces Innovative Reference Design Platform to Enable the Next Wave of Low Cost HEDGE Smartphones

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11 PRNewswire-FirstCall — 2008 MWC — Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new HEDGE reference design platform that will significantly accelerate the process of developing next generation smartphones for mass consumer handsets. The new reference design is based on Broadcom's breakthrough 65 nanometer single-chip dual-core HSDPA + EDGE multimedia baseband processor and integrates the leading connectivity solutions on a compact, cost efficient platform featuring all-Broadcom(R) silicon for the major communications components.

The new HEDGE reference design platform integrates a HSDPA baseband modem (with world-class application, audio and multimedia processors) and a Category 8 HSDPA modem (that delivers 7.2 Mbps third generation (3G) connectivity for advanced applications) on a single monolithic chip. The platform provides demonstrated support for the three major mobile operating systems. Advanced connectivity features include Broadcom's industry proven Bluetooth(R), Wi-Fi(R), GPS and FM radio technology, along with advanced digital image processing that features support for an up to 3.2 megapixel camera built in. With this level of integration, the new HEDGE reference design platform requires less board space, cost and power than competing solutions, provides fast time-to-market, and eliminates the cost premium typically associated with HSDPA handsets today.

"Broadcom has been driving the convergence of the leading wireless technologies on compact handsets for some time and has established leadership in multiple wireless segments with our field proven products," says Michael Civiello, Senior Director of Marketing for Broadcom's Mobile Communications line of business. "Bringing our various technologies together on a single reference design platform is a strong achievement, made possible by the breadth of our product portfolio and the strength of our engineering capabilities."

Broadcom will demonstrate its new HSDPA reference design platform for smartphones at the 2008 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, from February 11th to 14th.

Handset Evolution Drives Convergence

As the 3G cellular landscape continues to evolve towards higher speed mobile connections, the market has moved to HSDPA to address cutting-edge multimedia and communications capabilities. With the continued proliferation of advanced multimedia, messaging and other features in handsets, the smartphone segment of the market is expected to increasingly extend into consumer markets, with as many as 368 million units projected to be sold in 2011, according to In-Stat market research. The key features that continue to grow in prominence as handset OEMs actively look to incorporate them into their phones include:

— HSDPA connectivity for the highest available cellular bandwidth available. — Advanced multimedia capabilities, including support for H.264 video and high quality digital photographs. — Wi-Fi to provide high speed local area connectivity for viewing web pages or downloading large media files from the Internet. — Bluetooth to enable hands free communications and wireless synchronization with PCs or other devices. — GPS to allow location based services, such as navigation and mapping offerings tied to directory assistance to help consumers find their locations. — FM radio to allow a connection to live broadcasts, such as sports and news, and also to connect phones and media players to in-car stereo systems.

In the past, handset makers have had to rely upon multiple vendors to attempt to enable these various capabilities, requiring the investment of significant resources to develop platforms around multiple software approaches and disparate component system architectures. Today, Broadcom introduces an integrated design platform that addresses many existing design limitations, accelerates time-to-market and opens up new possibilities for a full range of HSDPA handset designs.

Technical Information

Announced today is the Broadcom BCM92153 reference design platform that is based on the BCM2153 3G baseband processor, the BCM59035 power management unit and CellAirity(TM) 2.0 software that includes pre-ported applications for HEDGE-based multimedia handsets. The platform also integrates Broadcom's latest generation Bluetooth, FM and Wi-Fi devices for enhanced voice and multimedia connectivity. The BCM92153 reference design combines the radio frequency (RF) front-end, baseband, high performance multimedia and applications processing functions on a converged design, resulting in reduced bill of materials (BOM) cost and a smaller printed circuit board (PCB) form factor.

The BCM2153 baseband processor also integrates Broadcom's popular M-Stream technology, which significantly improves voice and data quality in areas with moderate or weak cellular signal condition. The end result is fewer dropped calls, extended range coverage and an overall improved user experience.

The reference design also features the BCM4325 combo solution that includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and FM radio on a single-chip solution, achieving high levels of performance at very low power because it is the first in the industry to be manufactured using 65 nm process geometry. In addition, the design includes the BCM4750 single-chip GPS receiver that leverages Broadcom's extensive CMOS radio experience to deliver superior performance and lower power than competing solutions.

To round out its features, the BCM92153 includes the BCM59035 power management unit (PMU) that addresses the complex power management features needed in mobile systems and supports dynamic voltage management with two programmable, high efficiency step-down regulators. It also includes eleven high performance programmable low drop-out regulators, an integrated real-time clock and comprehensive battery management support. The BCM59035 also supports USB OTG 200mA Vbus.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 2,500 U.S. and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,400 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at http://www.broadcom.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with BCM2153 HSDPA processor products include, but are not limited to, general economic and political conditions and specific conditions in the markets we address, including the volatility in the technology sector and semiconductor industry, trends in the broadband communications markets in various geographic regions, including seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are incorporated, and possible disruption in commercial activities related to terrorist activity or armed conflict in the United States and other locations; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's technologies and products in the markets for cellular applications; delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in those markets; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders and our ability, as well as the ability of our customers, to manage inventory; the gain or loss of a key customer, design win or order; our ability to scale our operations in response to changes in demand for our existing products and services or demand for new products requested by our customers; our ability to specify, develop or acquire, complete, introduce, market and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a cost-effective and timely manner; intellectual property disputes and customer indemnification claims and other types of litigation risk; our ability to retain, recruit and hire key executives, technical personnel and other employees in the positions and numbers, with the experience and capabilities, and at the compensation levels needed to implement our business and product plans the quality of our products and any remediation costs; changes in our product or customer mix; the volume of our product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; the effectiveness of our expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; our ability to timely and accurately predict market requirements and evolving industry standards and to identify opportunities in new markets; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies and in achieving higher levels of design integration; the risks and uncertainties associated with our international operations; competitive pressures and other factors such as the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; the timing of customer-industry qualification and certification of our products and the risks of non-qualification or non-certification; the availability and pricing of third party semiconductor foundry, assembly and test capacity and raw materials; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party semiconductor foundries and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly facilities; the effects of natural disasters, public health emergencies, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received that can be shipped in a fiscal quarter; and other factors.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.

Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), the Connecting everything logo and CellAirity(TM) are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Bluetooth(R) is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Wi-Fi(R) is a trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcom Trade Press Contact Jeremy Hyatt Senior Manager, Corporate Communications 949-926-5971 jhyatt@broadcom.com Broadcom Investor Relations Contact T. Peter Andrew Vice President, Corporate Communications 949-926-5663 andrewtp@broadcom.com

SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless