Bluetooth, named after a medieval Danish King, is a specification for wireless communication between notebook PCs, handheld computers, mobile phones and an endless array of other electronic devices. Its promise is absolute: no cables to trip over, no plugs to jam or break, and the potential of seamless compatibility. Bluetooth also allows ad hoc networking between these devices and a wide variety of peripheral devices from cameras to printers and wireless headsets. The technology is based on the proposition that while it is becoming increasingly easy to send information from one side of the world to the other, moving data just a few feet is a far more troublesome matter. Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia, and Toshiba formed the Bluetooth SIG, the specification's guiding body, in 1994. The SIG now has over 1,400 members and includes just about every major technology and telecommunications company.

The Parthus BlueStream Intellectual Property (IP) Platform is one of the industry's most comprehensive IP offerings containing all the requisite technology for our customers to rapidly integrate Bluetooth into their product offerings. The solution encompasses a comprehensive radio offering (including a Silicon Germanium BICMOS RF and CMOS 0.18um RF); digital Baseband (offered both in Baseband IP and full system-on-a-chip) and finally complete software stacks for baseband and host interface.

"When we commenced the design and development of BlueStream two years ago, we had a very clear vision of ultra small size and low power, enabling true integration of Bluetooth into mobile devices," said Kevin Fielding, Chief Operating Officer of Parthus. "In terms of memory, processor requirements, power consumption, form factor and software size, our BlueStream Platform leads the industry. We offer not only single and integrated chip platforms that enable our customers to deliver the commercial goal of a Bluetooth chip for $5 today, but also, our architecture has pioneered the development of true 'zero chip' Bluetooth, and the goal of near zero manufacturing costs to our customers."

Although Bluetooth is primarily focused on mobile systems, the technology will also be incorporated into an array of stationary devices such as PCs, printers and so forth. Fundamentally, no individual Bluetooth solution will fit all these market requirements. For example, mobile phone manufacturers will pursue a "zero chip" strategy to achieve zero manufacturing costs to implement Bluetooth whilst other market segments will seek the simplicity of the "single chip" approach. Quite uniquely Parthus BlueStream IP spans both "zero chip" and "single chip" Bluetooth deployment.

Zero Chip Bluetooth:

For mobile phone manufactures, critical design considerations are size, power consumption, RF performance and above all, cost. For the mobile phone players, Bluetooth is only truly viable when its manufacturing costs approach $0, mandating the zero incremental chip approach. Zero Chip Bluetooth is enabled by developing multi-mode radios (e.g., GSM, WCDMA, GPS, Bluetooth) and an integrated baseband. "Two factors enable Parthus to develop zero incremental chip Bluetooth," says Kevin Fielding. "Firstly our ultra small and low power Platform enables integration into the existing chip infrastructure of the mobile device. Secondly, Parthus strategy is to converge our portfolio of wireless platforms, which includes 3G, GPRS and GPS, creating both multi-mode radios and multi-mode basebands. Our end goal is for our customers' Bluetooth manufacturing costs to hit under $1."

Single Chip Bluetooth:

In segments where a device solely requires Bluetooth connectivity, a single chip Bluetooth approach may be the best strategy in terms of simplicity, ease of integration and cost. Parthus strategy of developing separate RF (in 0.25 SiGe and 0.18um CMOS) and BB (0.18um CMOS) facilitates the provision of proven IP blocks and thus the development of single chip implementation and deployment. Parthus single chip utilizes 0.18 CMOS to aggressively hit the initial Bluetooth commercial target of $5.

BlueStream Platform: Parthus delivers the complete Bluetooth Platform comprising:
-- Radio ICs (SiGe, CMOS and mult-mode RF)
-- RF-to-DSP Interface IP
-- Lower Link Controller IP
-- Software Protocol Stack
-- Optional Audio Codec

RF Strategy

The Parthus RF roadmap encompasses both single mode Bluetooth RF, and multi-mode RF plans combining Bluetooth, GPS and/or GSM functionality. This strategy is critical to achieve the lowest possible Bluetooth from mobile phone manufacturers. Parthus has developed a comprehensive RF strategy for Bluetooth encompassing a variety of reference Radio IC designs targeted to both BiCMOS (including SiGe) and CMOS processes.

RF-SiGe: Chip 120 SiGe: The Parthus Bluetooth Chip 120 is a Silicon Germanium BiCMOS device used for high performance, ultra low power (35ma in connect mode and 300ma in page mode) Bluetooth systems. Chip 120 contains all the necessary RF circuitry with a minimum of external components to implement Bluetooth Class II systems. Bluestream Chip 12O provides all the signal processing and interface logic necessary to support the BlueRF Mode 2 Interface. The solution employs novel architectural features

RF-CMOS: CMOS equally offers an effective RF compromise between cost, performance and integration capability -- be that single chip Bluetooth or integration of the RFCMOS into the BB of the host device. Parthus RFCMOS is targeted at 0.18um.

Baseband Controller IP

The BlueStream 1000 baseband controller IP solution provides the radio and lower link controller for the Bluetooth specification 1.0b. The Parthus Platform leads the industry in form factor, MIPS requirements and software ROM size. The fundamental architecture advantage of the Parthus Platform translates into dramatic performance advantage for the end mobile device. The Parthus BB is targeted at 0.18 CMOS. The proposed Parthus partitioning is a digital 1Mbps interface with low-voltage signaling.

Protocol Software Architecture & Deliverables

The Parthus software protocol stack software has been written in ANSI C using object oriented techniques, and has been architected to be modular and easily extended. The software can support both L2CAP variants, with L2CAP either residing on a host above the HCI or below the HCI in an deeply embedded ASIC implementation. The stack extends all the way to the RFCOMM and SDP layer and comes with a fully documented API for applications developers. Again, with a baseband protocol stack requiring less than 40k, the solution is optimized for integration.

About Parthus Technologies plc

Formed in 1993, Parthus Technologies (formerly SSL) is a leading develop of Semiconductor Intellectual Property (IP) Platforms targeting next generation m-Commerce enabled devices and applications such as Bluetooth, MP3 Internet Audio, GPS, Smartphones, and 3G Cellular. Drawing on the expertise of over 250 engineers, we unite our capabilities in RF IC, DSP, Mixed Signal IC, Digital ASIC and Software in creating IP-Platforms which deliver exceptional power, performance, cost and time-to-market advantages to our global customer base. Visit Parthus at www.parthus.com

Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any "forward-looking statements" in this press release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including without limitation statements to the effect that the Company or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans" and similar expressions) should be considered forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include uncertainties relating to the acceptance of semiconductor intellectual property offerings, expansion of our business, quarterly variations in results, and other uncertainties that are discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our final prospectus dated May 19, 2000, which is on file with the SEC and of our listing particulars dated May 19, 2000, filed with the London Stock Exchange and the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales and the Registrar of Companies in the Republic of Ireland.

SOURCE Parthus Technologies plc

/CONTACT: Kevin Fielding, Chief Executive Officer, +353-1-402-5700, or Barry Nolan, Vice President Marketing, +353-1-402-5700, both of Parthus Technologies; or Deborah Ardern-Jones of Financial Dynamics, +44-20-7831-3113/

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