ARRS Arris International Plc - Ordinary Shares

Unrivalled Peripheral Integration, Ultra Competitive System Cost and Quality Customer Support Beat Competitors to the Punch SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ZiLOG(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:ZILG), the creator of the Z80(R) microprocessor and a leading innovator of integrated 8-bit microcontrollers (MCU) and universal remote control solutions, today announced that international communications technology leader ARRIS (NASDAQ:ARRS) has selected ZiLOG's award-winning Z8 Encore! XP(R) MCU for use in the design of its next-generation Embedded Multimedia Terminal Adaptor (E-MTA) with Voice over IP (VoIP), the Touchstone(TM) Telephony Modem TM502. ARRIS is one of the leading suppliers of E-MTAs and cable modems and has been at the forefront of the VoIP revolution, securing significant market share in this emerging sector. Two significant milestones have been crucial to the successful implementation of VoIP: the standardization of VoIP protocol, and the development of battery and semiconductor technology allowing uninterrupted VoIP operation during extended power disruptions. Delivering two lines of primary line VoIP along with high-speed data access, the ARRIS TM502 E-MTA uses the Z8 Encore! XP 4k (part number Z8F042AHJ020SG) to manage the functional block dedicated to monitoring, testing and charging the unit's batteries, enabling cable operators to offer either four hours or eight hours of uninterrupted telephony service during power outages. The integration of ZiLOG's high speed Analog-Digital Converter (ADC) on-chip was a major contributory factor in ARRIS selecting the Z8 Encore! 4k, as this plays an important role, offering 14 bits of resolution, which is required to maintain the integrity of the lithium ion in the battery block. In addition, ARRIS made full use of the Encore! XP's other on-chip peripherals, such as the temperature sensor and op amplifier, which also tied into the operation of the battery block and reduced the bill of materials and external component count, resulting in a significant reduction in overall system cost. "Having the Z8 Encore! XP designed into the new ARRIS E-MTA is a significant win for ZiLOG that strengthens and formalizes our working relationship with them as a new customer," observed ZiLOG CEO and Chairman Jim Thorburn. "It reinforces our position as a leading supplier of microcontrollers for use in battery-charging applications and highlights the increased levels of integration that this product line offers. The battery-charging block is a key area of differentiation with the TM502 E-MTA, and the technology ARRIS developed using the Z8 Encore! XP is an important element of this differentiation. Our overall system cost and product offering in this area was the strongest and these factors, coupled with the levels of support offered by our engineers to help the customer develop their product, were precisely why we succeeded over our main competitors, including the incumbent supplier. We look forward to a long and mutually successful relationship with ARRIS." Commenting on the relationship with ZiLOG, Tony Andruzzi, Engineering Director at ARRIS Broadband's CPE Division added: "The ARRIS Touchstone portfolio of products has proven extremely successful, leading the way in voice, data and VoIP services. We selected the Z8 Encore! XP microcontroller to manage the battery charging block in the TM502 because we felt that this was an area where ZiLOG particularly excelled in terms of integration, quality, overall package and support, all elements that will enable ARRIS to continue to offer the best value telephony products on the market today." About the Z8 Encore! XP family The Z8F042A devices are members of the Z8 Encore! XP family of high-performance microcontrollers with extended peripherals, which offer a high level of integration with low overall system cost. The Z8 Encore! XP MCU integrates a temperature sensor and transimpedance amplifier that have their outputs processed by an enhanced Sigma-Delta Analog-to-Digital Converter. With additional integrated features such as an on-chip precision internal oscillator, nonvolatile data storage memory, and large working memory, the Z8 Encore! XP performs favorably versus competing solutions. Development Kits including the ZDS II -- IDE with a full ANSI C Compiler and all the tools design engineers need to begin with code development, are available, priced from $39.95. Further information about the Z8 Encore! XP family can be found at http://www.zilog.com/products/ . About ZiLOG, Inc. ZiLOG, Inc., founded in 1974, ZiLOG won international acclaim for designing one of the first architectures in the microprocessors and microcontrollers industry. Today, ZiLOG is a leading global supplier of 8-bit micro logic devices. It designs, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of devices for embedded control and communication applications used in consumer electronics, home appliances, security systems, point of sales terminals, personal computer peripherals, as well as industrial and automotive applications. ZiLOG is headquartered in San Jose, California, and employs approximately 500 people worldwide with sales offices throughout Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about ZiLOG and its products, visit the Company's website at: http://www.zilog.com/. NOTE: ZiLOG and Z8 Encore! XP are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZiLOG, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. Other product and or service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated. About ARRIS ARRIS provides broadband local access networks with innovative systems for the delivery of voice, video and high-speed data to the home and business. ARRIS complete solutions enhance the reliability and value of converged services from the network to the subscriber. Headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, USA, ARRIS has design, engineering, manufacturing, distribution, service and sales office locations throughout the world. Information about ARRIS products and services can be found at http://www.arrisi.com/ . ARRIS Touchstone Telephony Modem TM502 The ARRIS Touchstone TM502 series is engineered to combine the latest industry silicon technology with an updated battery design to delivery the greatest value (feature-rich and cost-effective) E-MTA products available on the market today. The TM502 design features an updated 'look and feel' in a smaller footprint. The battery design has been updated to provide more flexibility to meet current industry needs. Two options are provided: a smaller more cost-effective battery pack that provides up to four hours of backup, and an optional larger battery pack capable of providing up to eight hours of backup time. The same field-proven line card features, as designed in the very successful TM402 products, are also built into all TM502 variants. DATASOURCE: ZiLOG, Inc. CONTACT: media, Stew Chalmers of Positio Public Relations, +1-408-453-2400, or , for ZiLOG, Inc. Web site: http://www.arrisi.com/ Web site: http://www.zilog.com/products Web site: http://www.zilog.com/

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