Mitsubishi Electric Developing 10-Gbps Ethernet Transceiver
That Complies With XENPAK Group Multi-Source Agreement

National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference--BALTIMORE--July 9, 2001--The Electronic Device Group of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., today announced that its parent, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, is developing a 10-gigabit Ethernet optical transceiver module that will comply with specifications defined by the XENPAK Group Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), which Mitsubishi Electric joined in May 2001.  The transceiver promises to bring higher bandwidth to the network edge, in anticipation of leading-edge next-generation switch, router, server, and terminal requirements.  It also combines new levels of performance with the low-cost, ease of installation, and mass production advantages of Ethernet technology.  An advanced feature of the new technology is a "hot pluggable" electrical interface for easier installation and configuration.

The MSA is based on the proposed IEEE 802.3ae 10-Gigabit Ethernet Standard, which specifies uniform form factor, size, optical connector type, and pinout assignments for 10-gigabit-per-second (10-Gbps) optical transceivers.  The MSA covers all four transceiver types defined in the proposed standard, including 850-nanometer (nm) serial, 1310-nm serial, 1310-nm WWDM (wide wavelength division multiplexing), and 1550-nm serial device types.  The MSA also defines the device size at 36 millimeters (mm) (1.5 inches) wide, 121 mm (4.8 inches) long, and 17.4 mm (0.7 inches) high, which enables eight devices to be mounted on typical line cards.

Among the key elements the device will contain include the XAUI 10-gigabit extended attachment unit interface for electrical input/output connection and the standard SC duplex fiberoptic connector for the optical interface.  A "hot pluggable" electrical interface allows all port types to be interchangeable via a standard front-panel connection, and will enable extended control and monitoring functionality for controlling and monitoring the output power of the device.

"Mitsubishi Electric joined and supports the XENPAK Group MSA and the new IEEE 802.3ae 10-Gigabit Ethernet Standard because it promises to extend the cost-effectiveness of Ethernet connectivity to higher bandwidth optical transmissions," said Daniel Chen, assistant vice president of optoelectronic and high-frequency products at Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc.  "Mitsubishi Electric supports standards that provide new levels of performance and make next-generation network integration easier for customers.  The hot pluggability of new 10-Gbps optical transceivers will also make it much easier for customers to install and configure their systems."

Availability

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's affiliate, Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., expects to begin business discussions on this device with North American customers in the third quarter of 2001.

About Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation offers a diverse range of optoelectronic products for SDH, SONET, DWDM, data communication, FITL, as well as passive optical network systems, test and instrumentation applications, and CATV distribution. The company markets its optoelectronic products in North America through the Electronic Device Group of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and its North American affiliate, Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., are world-class suppliers of semiconductors and electronic products for communications, industrial, Internet-enabled, automotive, and visual applications. Mitsubishi Electric combines its systems-level expertise and high-level silicon process technologies to provide chip, chipset and system-on-chip solutions. The company is ranked among the top-tier worldwide semiconductor suppliers and offers an extensive range of semiconductor and computer system components for the North American marketplace, including embedded DRAM/flash/SRAM, ASIC, ASSP, MCU, discrete memory, graphics, microwave/RF, optoelectronic, and flat-panel display products.

Additional information on the Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Group is available at http://www.mitsubishichips.com/.

Trademark Information
Mitsubishi and the Mitsubishi logo are registered trademarks of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in the U.S.A., Japan, and other countries.

Keywords
Mitsubishi, Ethernet, optical, transceiver, optoelectronic, networking, 10 gigabit.