博通四連併 4G展雄心
全球網通晶片巨擘博通(Broadcom )近日再度宣布將以3.13億美元（約93億元台幣）併購全球最大(microwave backhaul)混合訊號晶片大廠Provigent，由於這是博通去年十月以來的第四個併購案，而博通一口氣花了接近250億台幣併購四家網通晶片廠，凸顯的正是博通佈局下世代4G通訊技術的決心。
通訊晶片大廠購併一波接一波，繼日前聯發科宣布購併雷凌後，博通也緊接著宣布與以色列微波回傳傳輸系統(microwave backhaul)混合訊號晶片大廠Provigent簽訂正式協議，將以3.13億美元（約93億元台幣）現金收購Provigent所有股權，預定整個交易將在第二季內完成。
業者表示，雖然3G已經逐漸成熟，不過在圖像及影音的傳輸上仍有所不足，為了彌補3G的缺陷，現在所有的通訊晶片廠商都已經開始往下世代4G做佈局，而4G由於仍不成熟，目前仍有許多個方案包括Wimax、LTE等再醞釀，未來哪一個技術會勝出現在還不是很明確，不過網通晶片廠在技術上的卡位戰則已經展開。
據了解，目前在4G的技術當中，支持LTE的廠商多於Wimax的廠商，業者表示，去年10月以來包括這次購併微波通訊晶片廠商Provigent在內，博通一共發動了四次的購併案，而這四次的購併案均與博通未來在4G的佈局有關，博通主要是想透過購併補足本身在4G技術當中的不足，去年以來的四次購併案，博通一口氣共花掉約250億元台幣。
業者表示，目前蘋果熱賣的iphone4及ipad2產品當中的WiFi、藍牙以及觸控晶片都是由博通所設計，大吃蘋果讓博通去年以來業績持續創高，有蘋果訂單作基礎，博通未來將展現擴大本身有線及無線網通事業版圖的決心，而在3G落後給高通的博通，將透過4G迎頭趕上與高通一爭高下。
Broadcom Gains Microwave Transmission Technology with Acquisition of Provigent
Company Expands Portfolio for Mobile Backhaul
In order to manage the exponential growth in wireless traffic and transition to 4G, carriers are faced with the challenge of backhauling data from the cell sites to the core network. Microwave backhaul is the most prevalent type of technology used in the multi-billion dollar global mobile backhaul business, representing greater than 50 percent of all solutions(1).
"Provigent is a unique asset with world-class microwave backhaul technology and strong engineering talent developing innovative and highly integrated semiconductor solutions for the microwave segment," said Rajiv Ramaswami , Executive Vice President and General Manager ofBroadcom 's Infrastructure and Networking Group . "Combining their microwave backhaul solutions with our industry leading network infrastructure and wireless solutions allows us to better serve our customers and expand our addressable market."
"Provigent's System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions are used to solve a crucial problem in the infrastructure of cellular networks, which is the backhaul bottleneck," said Dan Charash , Chief Executive Officer, Provigent. "The many synergies with Broadcom 's broad portfolio of wireline and wireless SoC technologies and capabilities will accelerate product development and provide our customers with a compelling offering."
In connection with the acquisition, Broadcom expects to pay approximately $313 million , net of cash assumed, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity rights of Provigent. The purchase price will be paid in cash, except that a portion attributable to certain unvested employee stock options will be paid in Broadcom restricted stock units. A portion of the cash consideration will be placed into escrow pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement. Broadcom expects the acquisition of Provigent to be neutral to earnings in 2011. The boards of directors of the two companies have approved the merger. The transaction is expected to close in Broadcom 's second quarter, 2011, and remains subject to the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions.
About Provigent
Provigent is a leading supplier of SoC solutions for the Broadband Wireless Transmission industry. Provigent's field-proven, mass production SoC solutions offer significant system level enhancements while lowering overall system cost. With an established economy of scale, significant R&D investments and a focused dedication to the Broadband Wireless Transmission industry, Provigent continues to establish itself as a leading SoC provider. More information is available on the Web at www.Provigent.com or via e-mail at info@provigent.com.
(1) Infonetics Mobile Backhaul Equipment Revenue Forecast (4Q10), $5.2B in revenue by 2014
About Broadcom
A FORTUNE 500® company, Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. , and has offices and research facilities in North America , Asia and Europe . Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.
Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, references to the anticipated benefits to Broadcom related to its acquisition of Provigent, the expected market and demand for microwave backhaul solutions, statements regarding potential future product developments, the impact of the acquisition on Broadcom 's earnings per share, the expected purchase price and the expected completion and timing of the transaction. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
Important risk factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with the acquisition of Provigent include, but are not limited to:
- the ability of the parties to successfully consummate the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and related transaction documents,
- unexpected variations in market growth and demand for microwave backhaul products and technologies,
- the risks inherent in acquisitions of technologies and businesses, including the timing and successful completion of technology and product development through volume production,
- integration issues,
- costs and unanticipated expenditures,
- changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners,
- potential contractual, intellectual property or employment issues, and
- charges resulting from purchase accounting adjustments or fair value measurements.
Broadcom Corporation to Acquire Beceem Communications Inc., a Leader in 4G Wireless
Combined Company will Accelerate the Availability of Multimode LTE / WiMAX Cellular Solutions for use in Handsets, Broadband Wireless Gateways, Mobile Computing and Consumer Electronics Devices
IRVINE, Calif., Oct 13, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Beceem Communications Inc., a privately-held company that is a leading provider of fourth generation (4G) wireless platform solutions. Beceem has announced the industry's first 4G multimode platform that can support both LTE and WiMAX 4G networks. Supporting peak broadband download speeds of up to 200Mbps, this technology will enable truly mobile broadband connectivity for smartphones, mobile computing, consumer electronics products and wireless gateways.
The acquisition of Beceem accelerates Broadcom's time-to-market in 4G by adding a talented team with proven expertise developing and selling these solutions for a broadening ecosystem of equipment providers and operators. When combined with Broadcom's 3G/2G cellular solutions, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, GPS, Ethernet switching and other associated IP, Beceem's 4G technology will enable our combined customers to accelerate the market availability of highly integrated, lower cost 4G wireless broadband devices.
Service providers around the world are rolling out next generation 4G networks to meet the explosive demand for an expanding variety of content and the growing number of wireless connected devices per subscriber designed to access this content. Beceem's solutions address both LTE and WiMAX, the two standards associated with 4G cellular services. According to the Global Semiconductor Alliance, 132 operators in 56 countries are investing in and are expected to deploy LTE, while WiMAX has already been deployed in over 550 networks in 148 countries. These next generation 4G networks will provide a robust mobile broadband experience at home, at work and while on the road for billions of people around the world.
"The combination of Beceem and Broadcom creates a leader in providing multimode wireless connectivity solutions to service providers and equipment manufacturers around the world," said Scott Bibaud, Broadcom's Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Mobile Platforms Group. "Beceem's talented teams of engineers in India and the U.S. have been focused on enabling a 4G ecosystem of operators and equipment manufacturers to drive the deployment of 4G networks. We look forward to adding their innovative technologies to our product portfolio and providing these technologies to our customers."
Beceem's Chief Executive Officer, Surendra Babu Mandava, said: "When combined with Broadcom's 2G and 3G cellular solutions and broader wired and wireless communications portfolio, our 4G products will enable operators to roll out next generation wireless broadband solutions while providing support for existing networks. Our combined offering will be one of the most extensive and formidable in the industry."
In connection with the acquisition, Broadcom expects to pay approximately $316 million, net of cash assumed, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity rights of Beceem. The purchase price will be paid in cash, except that portion attributable to unvested employee stock options will be paid in stock options exercisable for shares of Broadcom's common stock. A portion of the cash consideration payable to the stockholders will be placed into escrow pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement. Excluding any purchase accounting related adjustments and fair value measurements, Broadcom expects the acquisition of Beceem to be neutral to earnings in 2011. The boards of directors of the two companies have approved the merger. The transaction is expected to close in Broadcom's fourth quarter, 2010 or by the end of Broadcom's first quarter, March 31, 2011 and remains subject to the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions.
About Beceem
Beceem is the leading provider of 4G semiconductors and offers a number of single-chip solutions optimized for mobile devices and wireless broadband markets. Beceem's products are WiMAX certified, power the CLEAR and NOQ networks in the United States and are validated against WiMAX base stations from all major OEMs.
Broadcom Corporation to Acquire Gigle Networks Inc.
Broadcom Expands Its Connected Home Portfolio with the Addition of Gigle Networks' Powerline Networking Technology
When combined with Broadcom 's world-class portfolio of wired and wireless solutions for the home, Gigle Networks' technology will widen the breadth of Broadcom 's intellectual property and enable the design of more highly integrated SoCs that allow whole-home network coverage in a wide variety of global deployment scenarios. By adding powerline to its technology portfolio, Broadcom will be able to provide additional functionality to its customers in broadband home segments including set-top box, broadband carrier access and wireless router.
"The worldwide market has demanded technologies for powerline, coax and wireless networking using standards such as Wi-Fi, MoCA, HomePlug AV, IEEE 1901 and G.hn to allow the streaming of multiple high definition and 3D video streams," said Jason Blackwell , Digital Home Practice Director, ABI Research . "With electric outlets readily available around the home, more consumers are seeing the benefits of powerline, and service providers' increased push toward gateways and IPTV is expected to help increase the market at a 32 percent compound annual growth rate from 2010 to 2015."
Powerline networking uses existing electrical wiring to create an in-home network, enabling a cost-effective and efficient method to connect multiple devices and distribute digital content throughout the home. Gigle Networks' powerline networking technology is HomePlug AV certified and is designed to be compliant with the IEEE 1901 standard for high speed powerline communications. Gigle Networks is a member of the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance , an organization responsible for establishing standards and testing devices for compliance and interoperability. HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901 solutions complement other networking technologies for the connected home. For example, a combined home network of powerline networking, MoCA and Wi-Fi enhances advanced applications like high definition video streaming, enabling a whole-home connected environment. The acquisition will also accelerateBroadcom 's time to market for G.hn, a new draft specification for existing-wire home networking, developed under the International Telecommunication Union .
"Broadcom 's broadband home platforms span a wide range of segments including set-top box, broadband carrier access and wireless router. With the addition of Gigle Networks' powerline technology, and our proven ability and extensive experience in supporting the multiple methods to connect devices including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, MoCA and DLNA, Broadcom is able to offer service providers and device manufacturers a variety of ways to deploy a whole-home connected environment," said Dan Marotta , Executive Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom 'sBroadband Communications Group .
"Broadcom is a well known leader in designing highly integrated home networking SoCs to enhance the consumer infotainment experience in the home," said Juan Carlos Riveiro , President and Chief Executive Officer, Gigle Networks. "As the segment evolves and new standards emerge, such as G.hn, technologies from both companies can be combined to enable higher performance, more integrated and lower-cost solutions for the connected home."
In connection with the acquisition, Broadcom expects to pay approximately $75 million to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other rights of Gigle Networks. The purchase price will be paid in cash, except that holders of unvested employee stock options will receive Broadcom equity awards. Additional consideration of up to $8 million in cash will be reserved for future payment to the former holders of Gigle Networks capital stock and other rights upon satisfaction of certain performance goals. A portion of the cash consideration payable to the stockholders will be placed into escrow to cover indemnity obligations. Excluding any purchase accounting related adjustments or fair value measurements that are not estimable at this time, Broadcom expects the acquisition of Gigle Networks to be dilutive by approximately $0.01 per share in 2011. The shareholders of Gigle Networks and the boards of directors of the two companies have approved the acquisition. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2010 and remains subject to customary closing conditions.
About Gigle Networks
Gigle Networks provides solutions for multimedia home networking that can extend wired and wireless Ethernet everywhere in the home — without the need for new wires. Targeted for applications such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), broadband TV (BBTV), video on demand (VoD), and voice over IP (VoIP), Gigle Networks' products offer superior performance, coverage and Quality of Service (QoS), and are designed to be easily integrated into consumer electronics and networked products. Gigle Networks is a strong supporter of open standards, a board member of the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance , and an active participant in the IEEE 1901 standards body and the ITU-T G.hn wireline standardization initiative.
Broadcom Announces Intention to Acquire Innovision Research & Technology PLC
IRVINE, Calif., June 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced its subsidiary, Broadcom International Ltd., has agreed to terms with the board of Innovision Research & Technology PLC, (a company listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange: INN), to make an all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and to be issued shares of Innovision. Innovision is a leader in near-field communication (NFC) technology.
Under the terms of the offer, Innovision shareholders will receive Pounds Sterling 0.35 (approximately $0.52) per share in cash for each Innovision share held, representing a total equity value of approximately $47.5 million based on current exchange rates. This offer represents a 84.2% premium above the closing price of Innovision common stock on June 17, 2010. Broadcom expects to close the acquisition of Innovision in the third quarter of 2010.
The full terms of today's announcement are accessible at http://investor.broadcom.com/rule-2-5disclaimer.cfm.
This press release and the full announcement by Broadcom International Ltd. concerning the offer for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Innovision Research & Technology PLC (the "Offer") does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to sell or purchase any securities or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, pursuant to the Offer or otherwise. The Offer will be made solely by an offer document and (in the case of certificated holders of Innovision Research & Technology PLC ordinary shares) the accompanying form of acceptance which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer, including details of how the Offer may be accepted.
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