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ZigBee Positioned to Drive Wireless Networking in Building Automation, Industrial and Residential Control and Sensors Markets in 2004 (19/2/2004)

Alliance Membership Momentum, Successful Interoperability Testing and Positive Market Projections Set Stage for Adoption of ZigBee(TM) Specification in 2004

The ZigBee Alliance, an association of companies working together to enable wirelessly networked monitoring and control products based on an open global standard, reported today that it has achieved its 2003 objectives and is on course to meet its 2004 objectives. As of today, the ZigBee Alliance has grown to more than 62 member companies spanning semiconductor manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), embedded software providers and service providers. The organization also reported significant advancement of the ZigBee specification with successful interoperability testing by member companies. This progress will allow ZigBee to deliver a robust specification in 2004, which will enable developers to design interoperable, reliable and secure products targeted at the building automation, industrial control, residential-lite commercial control, and consumer electronic markets.

The ZigBee Alliance entered 2004 with strong momentum from last year, highlighted by the more than 350 attendees at the group's open house in San Jose, California, during the fourth quarter of 2003. At that event, multiple vendors, including: Chipcon, CompXs, Ember, Figure 8 Wireless, Helicomm, Motorola, Sensicast and ZMD, showcased products visibly exceeding the performance estimates and firmly laying the foundation for ZigBee-enabled applications. Member companies are already moving to sample ZigBee-ready silicon, and OEM member companies are developing prototype products based on that silicon. According to West Technology Research Solutions (WTRS), by 2008, there could be more than 300 million ZigBee chipsets shipped annually in the home automation segment alone.

By the end of 2004, the ZigBee Alliance expects to deliver the networking protocol specification and application profiles, built on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, to enable broad-based deployment of wireless networks. To ensure interoperability within these wireless networks, ZigBee recently held its first internal interoperability-testing event. Several member companies participated in the interoperability testing, which was conducted on two levels: the first was designed to test the 802.15.4 radio frequency (RF) functionality, specifically with the Physical Layer (PHY) and Media Access Control (MAC), and the second was designed to test ZigBee network functionality. Test participants were extremely pleased with the level of success realized, especially given this was the first such testing event. Because the ZigBee Alliance has defined multi-vendor interoperability as a key objective to achieving reliability and ease-of-use for installers and consumers, this test event represents successful completion of a significant milestone toward that end.

"The interoperability testing exceeded our expectations and sets a solid foundation for ZigBee as we work to deliver the ratified specification," said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "The result clearly illustrates that building automation developers will soon be able to take advantage of the ZigBee technology to build and deploy scalable wireless monitoring networks. These low cost, low power ZigBee wireless networks will help to centralize building management and home control systems. As a result, developers will benefit from reduced installation and remodeling costs, and end users will benefit from significantly reduced power consumption and cost savings."

Already industry analysts are recognizing the potential for ZigBee, which is the only standards-based technology to address the unique needs of low-cost, low-power, wireless sensor networks for remote monitoring, home control, and building automation network applications in the industrial and consumer markets. In the recent WTRS ZigBee Market Report and Analysis, Kirsten West said: "In the not-too-distant future, it will be common to find as many as 100 ZigBee chips around the house. These will be found in light switches, fire and smoke detectors, thermostats, appliances in the kitchen, video and audio remote controls, landscaping and security systems. The same principles and models apply to networks in industrial, building automation and medical markets."

The ZigBee Alliance includes over 62 member companies from a broad spectrum of industries, working to help shape the wireless market by defining the specification, collaborating on new standards-based technology for monitoring, automation and control products, and leveraging their collective world-wide market presence to bring a new low-cost, low-power wireless communication solution to the market. "This is an opportune time for leading companies who want to have input on developing the ZigBee specification and create ZigBee products to join the ZigBee Alliance at the ground floor," said Heile. "Member companies are in a unique position to influence the direction of the technology."

www.zigbee.org