10x longer DECT standby times with SiTel's "green CAT-iq" ICs

Sitel's Ultra-low-power processors will reduce energy bills and enable new battery-powered, cordless applications in the home

‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, 27 January 2009 - SiTel Semiconductor today announced the company will launch a new ultra-low-power ‘Green CAT-iq' IC concept at the DECT World and CAT-iq conference 2009 in Amsterdam (February 3 & 4). Green CAT-iq will enable chip solutions that greatly reduce the power consumption of residential DECT systems. They will also open up the possibility of exciting new applications, such as wireless sensors and smoke alarms capable of running for up to ten years on a single set of batteries, or even solar-powered cordless phones.

The recent upsurge in CAT-iq applications for the home has brought a wealth of consumer possibilities. Devices such as smoke alarms, motion / temperature sensors, security cameras, display widgets, streaming audio terminals and remote controls can all be connected to a residential IAD alongside more familiar DECT handsets. But as the number of cordless devices increases, the power consumption of each one must be tightly controlled to keep energy bills, disturbance for the user and environmental impact as low as possible.

In response, SiTel is developing a range of ultra-low-power CAT-iq single-chip baseband solutions. Based on the company's proven SC1448x single-ship architecture, the ICs will offer special ultra-low-power modes. The reduced power consumption could potentially extend standby times by a factor of ten, and allow battery-powered terminals to operate for up to ten years on a single set of (non-rechargeable) batteries. So consumers get the peace of mind of ‘fix and forget it' applications, while the environment benefits from lower carbon emissions and waste levels.

"CAT-iq promises improved quality of communication and a whole new class of internet-enabled home appliances," states Arend van der Weijden, Chief Marketing Officer. "With our SC1448x single-chip CAT-iq family, we're already making it easier for manufacturers to deliver on that promise. Now our Green CAT-iq ICs will make it more affordable both economically and as part of a sustainable future.

"SiTel's Green CAT-iq solutions are the latest development arising from SiTel's publicly stated commitment to minimize the environmental impact of its operations and products. It follows the company's ISO 14001:2004 certification last year and the launch of the ‘Green VoIP' solutions, which help cut power consumption in half for enterprise VoIP applications.

Fully endorsed by the DECT Forum, the DECT World and CAT-iq conference 2009 in Amsterdam on 3rd and 4th of February is the only global event dedicated to DECT. This year's event, the 13th and largest held so far, is proudly sponsored by SiTel. More information regarding the conference can be found at http://www.dectconference.com/.