Ethernet Chip Enables Design Of Toll-Quality IP Phones With Low Power Consumption

The BCM1100 IP phone engine for use in Ethernet IP telephones. The chip is said to enable manufacturers to deliver IP phones with the features required for large-scale deployment of desktop IP telephony. An Ethernet switch guarantees voice priority, and enables the office PC and IP phone to share a single LAN connection, eliminating the expense of a second LAN drop. The BCM1100 also includes two Ethernet transceivers, and analog codecs for handset and speakerphone support. Ethernet backbones are increasingly chosen to deliver broadband access in residential high-rises and other multi-dwelling units. The BCM1100 supports this market by affording residential VoIP gateways that will connect traditional analog telephones to these Ethernet backbones. The BCM1100 supports H.323, H.248/Megaco, and SIP protocol stacks and is currently sampling to the company's Early Access Partners. The chip is priced below $25 in volume quantities and is offered in a 256-pin plastic BGA package.