Texas Instruments to buy National Semiconductor

2011-04-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Texas Instruments (TI) is to pay $6.5bn (£4bn) for National Semiconductor in one of the microchip industry's biggest deals for years.

The deal boosts TI's leadership in analogue chips used in devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers.
Dallas-based TI is paying a 78% premium to National's closing share price on Monday, sparking a sharp rise in rivals' shares.

The deal takes TI past Toshiba as the world's third biggest chipmaker.

Analysts were surprised at the price being paid.

"Texas Instruments has been a pretty prudent company. There is either some kind of buried patent [owned by National Semiconductor] that is unbelievably attractive to them, or there were other bidders and they felt pressured to get it," said Fort Pitt Capital analyst Kim Caughey Forrest.
Analogue chips convert audio and video to digital signals in a wide range of electronic devices from mobile phones to media players.
Apple iPods and the Motorola Xoom tablet computer both use analogue chips made by Texas Instruments.

Nepal likely to see WiMAX soon

2011-04-01T06:37:00.001-07:00

Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has written to the Nepalese Ministry of Communication and Information to allow the operation of Wireless Broadband internet – WiMAX in Nepalese sky.

WiMAX, the truly broadband telecom service – Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a 4th generation mobile communication technology which is considered to be the next generation of mobile telephony and data services. High speed wireless internet is the ultimate portability based on microwave communication – the Line of Sight(LoS) Communications.

According to the NTA official Bhesraj Kandel , the Authority is recommending the Ministry to open the WiMAX service operation in order to increase the access of more people and the high speed internet. How the operation of WiMAX can be done by the providers and other necessary peripheral services associated with this broadband technology is soon to be out.

Once the Ministry grants, the Authority will ask for proposals from the service providers (ISPs and Telecomm Operators) for their intentions to provide WiMAX service in Nepal. This service can be used with data, voice, video – the topmost facilitates that a latest mobile technology can provide.

Due to wireless technology, WiMAX can easily be expanded to cover larger areas and larger number of users. The basic coverage of this Microwave LoS communication is around the radius of 50 KM from the service provider’s wave transmitting station BTS (Base Transceiver Station). This distance is enough to cover the whole of Kathmandu valley, even though the operating radius is around 10 KM in cities like Kathmandu.
TechSansar.com estimates that just one microwave tower would be sufficient for the valley if the WiMAX provider is operating at the normal mode of LoS technology. Just a few more towers are sufficient to cover the whole of Naya Nepal.

The rumors are with Ncell and other private ISPs who are interested in operating WiMAX broadband telephony communication technology. We are yet to see if the services are provided based on USIM (Universal SIM) cards or any other chips.

Innovation

Texas Instruments to buy National Semiconductor

Nepal likely to see WiMAX soon