ZigBee Alliance Begins Certification for Sub-1 GHz Platforms

San Ramon, California, February 17, 2010 (ots/PRNewswire) - The
ZigBee(R) Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless
solutions for use in energy management, residential, commercial and
consumer electronics applications, today announced it is now offering
certification for ZigBee platforms designed to operate in the
regional sub-1 GHz unlicensed frequencies. The move ensures original
equipment manufacturers a source of tested platforms for use in sub-1
GHz applications.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091005/SF86596LOGO )

More semiconductor manufacturers and Alliance members are seeing
a growing market for a range of ZigBee device options using the
proven ZigBee specification. The Alliance recently completed its
first series of multi-vendor interoperability tests for sub-1 GHz
platforms. These platforms will become the Golden Units against which
all other platforms seeking certification will be compared. They
offer the same underlying functions and robust capabilities as
existing ZigBee Compliant Platforms operating at 2.4 GHz.

"Adding sub-1 GHz ZigBee compliant platforms meets rising market
demands for frequency choice," said Tom Herbst, engineering director
at Cisco Systems. "Having these new ZigBee platforms will give
product manufacturers more opportunities, and encouragement to use
ZigBee in many inventive ways."

Atmel Corporation, Exegin Technologies and ZMDI are leading this
effort in conjunction with ZigBee Alliance's accredited test houses,
National Technical Systems, TRaC Global and TUV Rheinland.

"The sub-1 GHz platforms will give our customers more choices to
create customized ZigBee solutions," said Magnus Pedersen, marketing
director of Microcontroller Wireless Solutions at Atmel. "We expect
these new ZigBee platforms to be an important part of our growing
list of ZigBee solutions."

The ZigBee specification has always supported sub-1 GHz
platforms, but offering certification of platforms built to the
specification requires at least three independent implementations for
initial testing and validation. This rigorous certification
requirement ensures that Alliance members only deliver interoperable
solutions to the marketplace.

"The ZigBee Alliance is committed to offering product
manufacturers with certified interoperable solutions," said Bob
Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "Our certification process
clearly demonstrates to product manufacturers that platforms from
different vendors, operating in the same European and U.S. sub-1 GHz
frequencies, will interoperate."

ZigBee: Control your world

ZigBee is the global wireless language connecting dramatically
different devices to work together and enhance everyday life. The
ZigBee Alliance is a non-profit association of more than 340 members
driving development of ZigBee wireless technology. The Alliance
promotes world-wide adoption of ZigBee as the leading wirelessly
networked, sensing and control standard for use in consumer
electronic, energy, home, commercial and industrial areas. For more
information, visit: http://www.ZigBee.org.

ots Originaltext: ZigBee Alliance
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
CONTACT: Kevin Schader of ZigBee Alliance,
+1-925-275-6672,kschader@inventures.com, or Earlene Tang of
GolinHarris, +1-714-918-8215,etang@golinharris.com, for ZigBee
Alliance