CSR’s industry leading BlueCore silicon inside GN Netcom’s latest Bluetooth headsets

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona .- CSR (LSE: CSR) and GN Netcom today announced that GN Netcom has selected CSR’s BlueCore6-ROM technology for use in its next generation of Bluetooth headsets.

GN Netcom’s latest Bluetooth headset platform will be the basis of a number of headsets offering superior audio quality and ease of use, to deliver a premium headset experience in sleek and stylish industrial designs. The new series of headsets is based on CSR’s BlueCore6 single-chip Bluetooth solution that integrates a Bluetooth radio, baseband and advanced audio processing on a single piece of silicon.

“After a successful ten year relationship we are proud that GN Netcom chose CSR for their latest generation product,” said Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President of CSR’s Audio Connectivity Business Unit. “The new headset platform will provide end-users with industry leading connectivity and best-in-class audio performance.”

Erik Jensen, Vice President for Mobile Product Creation at GN Netcom said, “Our latest generation of headsets will improve on the high standard set by its predecessors. A number of our new products will utilise CSR’s sixth generation Bluetooth technology, which will enable us to offer our customers industry leading wireless audio performance"

As well as full support for the latest version (v2.1+EDR) of the Bluetooth specification, BlueCore6 features CSR’s proprietary AuriStream technology, a radical improvement to the way Bluetooth handles voice traffic. AuriStream uses an alternative voice coding technology (ADPCM: adaptive differential pulse code modulation), to provide users with fixed line quality wireless audio connection and is capable of a 40% reduction in power consumption compared with traditional Bluetooth voice transmission methods. CSR has also enhanced the RF performance to give BlueCore6 a Class 1 Bluetooth range without the need for an external power amplifier to help reduce interference and improve connectivity across the whole body for a superior end-user experience

GN Netcom, led by the Jabra brand, continues to build on its standing as one of the world’s leading and fastest growing suppliers of hands-free communications solutions. With 1,100 employees and sales offices around the world, GN Netcom develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of wireless headsets for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact centre and office-based users. GN Netcom’s business activities also include its original equipment manufacturing (OEM) business to a wide range of global customers including mobile phone, PC and PDA manufacturers.