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Wireless efforts gain support

The US$200 million Intel Communications Fund, set up last year to invest in companies developing networking and communications technologies, has been increased to US$500 million to support wireless development.
Written by Victor Ng, Contributor
The US$200 million Intel Communications Fund, set up last year to invest in companies developing networking and communications technologies, has been increased to US$500 million to support wireless development.

HONGKONG - Intel Corporation today announced that the Intel Communications Fund charter will be expanded to support its wireless communications and computing efforts. The company also said that the fund would be expanded from US$200 million to US$500 million.

Craig Barrett, Intel president and CEO, made the announcement at the Telecom Asia 2000 event in Hong Kong, where he delivered a keynote address.

Established in September 1999 to invest in companies developing networking and communications building blocks and solutions that are complementary to the Intel Internet Exchange Architecture (IXA) and CT Media software, the Intel Communications Fund has added wireless as an area of focus. In particular, the fund will support use of the Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA) and the Intel XScale micro-architecture for developing next-generation Internet access applications and devices.

“We have invested the majority of the original Intel Communications Fund through more than 40 investments in 10 countries on four continents in support of Intel’s communications strategies,” said Les Vadasz, executive vice-president of Intel and president of Intel Capital. “We have been successful in building strategic relationships that enable the robust communications infrastructure that is driving the Internet economy.”

“The expansion of the Intel Communications Fund to include these architectures is a logical extension to our existing focus,” said Ron Smith, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Wireless Communication and Computing Group. “With Intel XScale microarchitecture and Intel PCA, Intel is striving to make next-generation wireless access to the Internet a reality.”

Announced in September, Intel PCA defines specifications for building new wireless client solutions capable of processing advanced Internet applications such as those envisioned for next-generation, Internet-ready cell phones and handheld devices. Intel PCA features Intel XScale processing solutions with high performance and low power capabilities.

The Intel Communications Fund is managed by Intel Capital. The fund invests in companies developing a broad range of hardware and software building blocks for the Internet economy. It targets companies developing basic communications and semiconductor components and boards, real-time operating systems, software tools and utilities, protocol stacks, compatible communications applications and advanced hardware systems and building blocks.

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