Financial Releases
RFMD Expands Portfolio of DC to DC Converters
BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2007--RF Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: RFMD), a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio systems and solutions for applications that drive mobile communications, today announced the introduction of two new low noise, high efficiency DC to DC converters for mobile communication devices: the RF9003 and RF6280. DC to DC converters extend battery life and reduce thermal dissipation by improving efficiency across a mobile device's output power range and by optimizing performance over an extended battery voltage discharge profile.
The expanding feature sets of next-generation EDGE and 3G multimode mobile devices are driving the demand for DC to DC converters. With the integration of Bluetooth®, GPS, WLAN and other functionality into mobile devices, the emphasis on current consumption and efficiency has increased proportionally.
Unlike most stand-alone DC to DC converters, RFMD's DC to DC converters combine world-class power amplifier expertise with state-of-the-art, low noise DC to DC converter design to enhance performance and optimize interaction with the Company's front-end solutions. As a result, RFMD's DC to DC converters enable greater functionality in next-generation mobile devices by improving mobile device efficiency and enhancing overall power amplifier performance. RFMD's DC to DC converters can be used in a range of applications and are not restricted to use with RFMD's industry-leading front-end solutions.
Eric Creviston, corporate vice president of RFMD's Cellular Products Group, said, "RFMD continues to develop architectures, circuits and components that improve the efficiency and performance of next-generation mobile communication devices. Our new DC to DC converters are very complementary to the open-loop polar modulation architecture of our POLARIS EDGE transceivers and are optimized for superior performance with our family of EDGE and WCDMA power amplifiers."
DC to DC converters provide two major customer benefits. First, power amplifier efficiency improvements can be realized at non-optimized output power levels. Power amplifiers are optimized to achieve peak efficiency at maximum output power. Because maximum output power is achieved when handsets are at their greatest distance from cellular base stations, handsets operating near base stations (typical usage) operate at lower output powers and suffer reduced efficiency. This is known as "backed-off" efficiency. A DC to DC converter improves the efficiency of power amplifiers at backed-off output powers, thereby extending battery life and/or talk time.
Second, performance can be optimized over an extended battery voltage discharge profile. Because many circuits are optimized to work at voltages below the battery-supplied voltage, the difference between the battery's voltage and a circuit's optimum supply voltage is dissipated in a voltage regulator, and thus lost in the form of thermal energy. A DC to DC converter provides an efficient method of lowering the battery voltage to a circuit's optimum supply voltage without the loss of thermal energy.
About RFMD: RF Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: RFMD) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio systems and solutions for applications that drive mobile communications. RFMD's power amplifiers, transmit modules, cellular transceivers and system-on-chip (SoC) solutions enable worldwide mobility, provide enhanced connectivity and support advanced functionality in current- and next-generation mobile handsets, cellular base stations, wireless local area networks (WLANs) and global positioning systems (GPS). Recognized for its diverse portfolio of state-of-the-art semiconductor technologies and vast RF systems expertise, RFMD is a preferred supplier enabling the world's leading mobile device manufacturers to deliver advanced wireless capabilities that satisfy current and future market demands.
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities. RFMD is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol RFMD. For more information, please visit RFMD's web site at www.rfmd.com.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements included herein represent management's current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements or publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as is required under the federal securities laws. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in quarterly operating results, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, risks associated with the operation of our wafer fabrication facilities, molecular beam epitaxy facility, assembly facility and test and tape and reel facilities, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and develop leaders, variability in production yields, our ability to reduce costs and improve gross margins by implementing innovative technologies, our ability to bring new products to market, our ability to adjust production capacity in a timely fashion in response to changes in demand for our products, dependence on a limited number of customers, and dependence on third parties. These and other risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in RF Micro Devices' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements.
RF MICRO DEVICES® and RFMD® are trademarks of RFMD, LLC. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: RF Micro Devices
Douglas DeLieto, Vice President, IR, 336-678-5091
or
Brian K. Cockman, Public Relations, 336-678-8945
SOURCE: RF Micro Devices, Inc.