TrendChip intros first energy-saving switch chip for broadband access platforms

HSINCHU, TAIWAN: The leading provider in xDSL CPE chip, TrendChip Technologies Corp., announced today the first Ethernet switch chip, TC2205F, designed specifically for broadband access platforms.

This switch chip has four automatic energy-saving 10/100M Ethernet ports, meeting not only the IEEE 802.3az industry standard (that is, Energy Efficient Ethernet; EEE), but can also detect network cable length and unused network ports in order to manage power consumption. Using these energy-saving technologies, telecom service providers can start deploying green energy-saving broadband network, while users can also save energy and reduce carbon emission without being affected in their broadband internet access, thus helping to protect the environment.

The world's first switch chip designed specifically for broadband access platforms, TC2205F, has four 10/100M ports and one MII/TMII (Turbo MII) MAC interface, which is connected to the main CPU on the platform, and the 64-pin QFN packaging requires only half the number of pins in traditional switch chips.

TC2205F combines a series of automatic energy-saving functions, which conforms to IEEE 802.3az, such as, the low energy consumption mode with automatic entry and exit based on actual network traffic (Low Power Idle; LPI), and automatic detection of network cable length and unused ports to reduce unnecessary power consumption.

In addition to energy conservation, TC2205F also offers the QoS, VLAN, and IGMP V1/V2/V3 functions, with full and flexible settings, in order to satisfy the advanced network settings requirements of telecom service providers when deploying Triple-Play, and ensure the stable quality of video services.

"The automatic energy-saving switch chips for telecom end-products introduced by TrendChip will break the telecom norm and usher in a new, green, energy-saving century. Not only will this bring direct benefits to users by reducing their energy bills, this will also benefit telecom service providers," said Bomin Wang, President of TrendChip.

"When telecom service providers introduce energy-saving chips to their end-products, not only will this go with enterprises' global trend of energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, it will also effectively prolong the operational life cycle of end-products, and hence, reducing their operating and maintenance costs in the future."

Wang also said: "Since TC2205F is very competitive, and has the advantage of being designed specifically for IPTV services, market response to this product has been overwhelming. A few telecom customers have already built TC2205F on their broadband access platforms to replace the original design, and product release is expected to start in 3Q."