Press Releases

Fujitsu and University of Toronto Develop World's First Digitally-Processed Gigabit-Class High-Speed Transceiver Chip Feb 10, 2010 10:59AM

Kawasaki, Japan, Feb 10, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and the University of Toronto today announced their joint development of a new processing method for transceiver chips used in gigabit-class(1) high-speed data transmission over wirelines. The new technology employs digital circuitry to replace previously-required structures that used analog circuits. While analog processing require circuits that are adapted to the specifications of a signal being transmitted, such as transmission distance and amplitude, this new digital approach can perform these optimizations automatically, so that a single circuit could be used to accommodate a wide range of various wireline communications. Compared to conventional processing methods, this new digital-processing method makes it possible to shorten development periods by approximately half. It is anticipated that this new technology in the future could be applied to a variety of wireline communication applications, including 10 Gbps high-speed Ethernet in datacenters.

Details of this technology were presented at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2010 (ISSCC 2010) being held in San Francisco from February 7-11. (Presentation number: 8.7)

Background and Technological Challenges

File size data volumes for large photographic, audio, and video files are becoming increasingly larger, thus requiring a significant amount of bandwidth to transmit, leading to demand for ever-faster wireline data communications. Conventional transceiver chips rely on analog circuitry which needs to be optimized to accommodate specifications of the signal being transmitted - such as transmission distance and amplitude - and therefore require multiple transceiver chips to be designed in order to accommodate for various applications.

With a growing diversity of devices featuring high-speed data transmission, the need to optimize an existing technology for every new type of device or model has become a bottleneck in the development process. Efforts to develop transceiver chips within short development periods that can accommodate the wide range of different devices have been proven challenging.

Newly-developed Technology

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto have developed a digital circuit-based transceiver chip. Featuring digital circuitry, the new transceiver chip can automatically optimize itself for a variety of high-speed communications circuits, thus significantly reducing development periods by approximately half compared with conventional methods.

This technology detects variations in the delay on the time axis of the input signal, caused during data transmission, and based on that can automatically adjust the timing it uses for judging whether an incoming signal is a 0 or 1 (Figure 1). Since variations in data transmissions increase along with faster transmission speeds, this new technology is essential for accurate data exchange. This is the world's first technology to achieve Gbps-class speeds without the use of analog circuitry elements, while offering fully-digital timing adjustments for signal-determination.

Results

As a world's first, by using digital circuitry-based high-speed transceiver technology, Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto's new technology makes it possible to reduce the design and development period for a gigabit-class transceiver chip by approximately one-half (1/2) compared with conventional methods. This suggests that transceiver chips for a wide range of communications devices could be offered in a timely manner.

Future Developments

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto will continue with development of this technology to optimize the digital signal processing, to further reduce the transceiver's power consumption.

Glossary and Notes

1 Gigabit-class/Gigabits-per-second (Gbps):Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) expresses data rate and indicates how many gigabits can be transferred per second. 10 Gbps is 10 billion bits-per-second (10 billion bps) = 10,000 megabits-per-second (10,000 Mbps), and indicates that 10 billion bits of data can be transferred per second.

About University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world. U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

For more information: http://www.utoronto.ca/

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 160,000 employees supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. For more information, please visit www.fujitsu.com.

Contact: Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Design Solutions Lab.
Platform Technologies Lab.
Tel: +81-44-754-2635
E-mail:hsio_adc_pr@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

University of Toronto
Prof. Ali Sheikholeslami
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: +1(416)978-1681
E-mail:ali@eecg.utoronto.ca
Address: 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4

Copyright 2010 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved.

Fujitsu and University of Toronto Develop High-Reliability Read-Method for Spin-Torque-Transfer MRAM Feb 10, 2010 10:54AM

Kawasaki, Japan, Feb 10, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Limited and the University of Toronto today announced that they have jointly developed the world's first high-reliability read-method for use with spin-torque-transfer (STT) MRAM(1) that is insusceptible to erroneous writes. STT MRAM is regarded as a potential future form of non-volatile memory(2) that could be used as an alternative to flash memory. NOR flash memory that is embedded in microcontrollers widely used in mobile phones and other electronic devices is expected to reach the limits of its feasible miniaturization in the near future, which has led to the search for an alternative low-power non-volatile memory that will allow continued necessary miniaturization. By resolving one of the major obstacles to using STT MRAM, Fujitsu and the University of Toronto's new read-method marks a major step towards the practical implementation of STT MRAM as a necessary replacement for flash memory, in view of future requirements that will be necessary for compact and low-power electronic devices.

Details of this technology were presented at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2010 (ISSCC 2010) being held in San Francisco from February 7-11. (Presentation number: 14.1)

Background

Many electronic devices such as mobile phones or PDAs use microcontrollers with embedded flash memory, which allows onboard software to be rewritten. However, NOR flash memory used in such microcontrollers is nearing the physical limits of its miniaturization, which has led to research on various types of memory that could replace NOR flash memory.

STT MRAM, which uses magnetic materials as the memory storage element, is gaining attention as an emerging potential candidate to replace flash memory, as STT MRAM meets the needs for speed, low power consumption, and miniaturization that would make it a good candidate to replace flash memory.

Technological Challenges

STT MRAM uses memory storage elements that take advantage of the effect in which a current that is passed through a magnetic material - such as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)(3) - reverses its direction of magnetization (Figure 1). Passing a current through the MTJ causes its direction of magnetization to switch between a parallel or anti-parallel state, which has the effect of switching between low resistance and high resistance. Because this can be used to represent the 1s and 0s of digital information, STT MRAM can be used as a non-volatile memory.

Reading STT MRAM involves applying a voltage to the MTJ to discover whether the MTJ offers high resistance to current ("1") or low ("0"). However, a relatively high voltage needs to be applied to the MTJ to correctly determine whether its resistance is high or low, and the current passed at this voltage leaves little difference between the read-current and the write-current. Any fluctuation in the electrical characteristics of individual MTJs could cause what was intended as a read-current, to have the effect of a write-current, thus reversing the direction of magnetization of the MTJ.

Newly-developed Technology

In a joint collaboration, Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto have developed an innovative circuit design (Figure 3) that for the first time resolves the issue of erroneous writes in STT MRAM during read operations.

The newly developed read-method uses a negative resistance(4) that is intermediate between the MTJ's high resistance and low resistance on a parallel circuit (Figure 4). If the MTJ is in a high-resistance state, this circuit exhibits negative-resistance characteristics. If the MTJ is in a low-resistance state, then it exhibits normal-resistance characteristics. These characteristics allow the resistance value to be read at lower voltages than before, suppressing the tendency of the read operation to reverse the direction of magnetization and avoiding the problem of erroneous write operations.

Results

The development of this new read circuit with negative resistance has resulted in STT MRAM that is insusceptible to erroneous writes caused by fluctuations in the electrical characteristics of the MTJs. It is anticipated that the STT MRAM used as miniaturized non-volatile memory would enable greater high-performance in mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Future Developments

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto plan to continue with R&D related to STT MRAM to strive toward practical implementation, such as lowering write currents and developing process technologies for further miniaturization.

Glossary and Notes

1 Spin- Torque-Transfer MRAM:Spin-torque-transfer magnetoresistive (STT) random access memory. MRAM that uses the "spin-torque-transfer" effect to reverse the direction of magnetization of an element by passing current through it.

2 Non-volatile memory:Memory that persists even when electrical power is cut.

3 Magnetic tunnel junction (MJT):A tunnel junction that uses the magnetoresistive effect. Consists of a recording layer made of ferromagnetic material, an insulating film a few atoms thick, and a layer made of ferromagnetic material that will not change its direction of magnetization in the presence of a current.

4 Negative resistance:An element that has negative resistance value, in which its current decreases when voltage rises.

About University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world. U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

For more information: http://www.utoronto.ca/

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 160,000 employees supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. For more information, please visit www.fujitsu.com.

Contact: Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Technology Integration Lab.
Platform Technologies Lab.
Tel: +81(46)250-8379
E-mail:til-si@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

University of Toronto
Prof. Ali Sheikholeslami
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: +1(416)978-1681
E-mail:ali@eecg.utoronto.ca
Address: 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4 Canada

Copyright 2010 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved.

Net Asset Value(s) Feb 10, 2010 07:20AM

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

FUND                       db x-trackers S&P 500 Inverse Daily ETF

DEALING DATE               09-Feb-10

NAV PER SHARE              USD56.0548

NUMBER OF SHARES IN ISSUE  3,550,673

CODE

    Source: db x-trackers S&P 500 Inverse Daily ETF

Net Asset Value(s) Feb 10, 2010 07:18AM

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

FUND                       db x-trackers RUSSELL 2000 ETF

DEALING DATE               09-Feb-10

NAV PER SHARE              USD76.1461

NUMBER OF SHARES IN ISSUE  1,038,593

CODE

    Source: db x-trackers RUSSELL 2000 ETF

Millicom International Cellular: RESULTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009 Feb 10, 2010 07:17AM

STOCKHOLM, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- All figures presented exclude discontinued operations (Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone), except where otherwise stated. Historical figures have been restated to provide a comparable base, where necessary.

Q4 key figures

-- Mobile customers up 22% versus Q4 08, bringing total customers to 33.9 million

-- Organic constant currency revenues up 9% versus Q4 08

-- Reported revenues up 10% to $924 million (Q4 08: $841 million)

-- EBITDA up 13% to $431 million (Q4 08: $382 million)

-- EBITDA margin of 46.6% (+1.2 percentage points versus Q4 08)

-- Basic earnings per common share* of $4.18 (Q4 08: $0.61)

-- Normalised earnings per common share** of $1.34 (Q4 08: $1.03)

-- Free cash flow of $220 million (Q4 08: $109 million outflow)

-- $309 million gain on disposal of Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone

FY 2009 key figures

-- Organic constant currency revenues up 10% versus FY 08

-- Reported revenues up 7% to $3,373 million (FY 08: $3,151 million)

-- EBITDA up 13% to $1,545 million (FY 08: $1,366 million)

-- Basic earnings per common share* of $7.84 (FY 08: $4.80)

-- Normalised earnings per common share** of $4.69 (FY 08: $4.93)

-- Free cash flow of $456 million (FY 08: $209 million outflow)

-- Dividend per share of $1.40 proposed for 2009***

* Includes discontinued operations

** Excludes one-off events occurring in 2009 and 2008

*** Subject to final approval of the 2009 accounts

Mikael Grahne, CEO of Millicom, commented:

"Millicom has had a good fourth quarter, and our consistent performance throughout 2009 demonstrates the strength of our business model and our ability to react quickly to changing market conditions. We have combined market-leading revenue growth with improving margins, rigorous capital discipline and excellent cash generation. Our focus on value-added services and innovation has delivered a broader revenue base and improved customer loyalty. "During the quarter we benefited from a strong seasonal impact, with Christmas and the holiday season helping to boost our customer additions to over 2 million. In December we started operations in Rwanda, our seventh African market. Growth in value-added services continued to be encouraging, and now represents over 21% of recurring revenue.

"Margins made further progress, reflecting increasing operational leverage as we reach scale in a number of African markets, and the impact of strong growth in high-margin value added services. We expect to maintain the Group EBITDA margin in the mid 40s % in 2010.

"Capex for the year was $737 million, or 22% of revenue. We expect Group capex for 2010 to be around $700 million. Last month we announced the creation of a tower company in Ghana that marked our first substantial commitment to outsourcing passive infrastructure. This agreement is consistent with our strategy of improving our capital and operating efficiency, and will enable us to focus on areas of genuine competitive differentiation such as marketing, distribution and customer service. We will actively pursue similar projects during 2010.

"Millicom has become increasingly cash generative and we ended the year with operating free cash flow of $658 million or 20% of revenues, a little ahead of our guidance. Our new dividend policy underlines our confidence that future cash flows will be sufficient both to finance our plans for growth and to remunerate shareholders. The Board will propose a dividend of $1.40 for 2009 to the AGM in May, subject to its approval of the final 2009 accounts.

"The divestment of two of our Asian businesses has further strengthened our financial position and we ended the year with net debt to EBITDA of 0.5x. This liquidity leaves us well positioned in the short term to pursue external growth opportunities, and our capital structure will continue to evolve with a view to enhancing shareholder returns."

Note: For tabular financial information and the full text of the statement, please refer to the attached PDF or the Millicom website: www.millicom.com

Conference call details

A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 14.00 London / 15.00 Stockholm / 09.00 New York, on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. The dial-in numbers are: +44 (0)20 7138 0825, +46 (0)8 5051 3786 or +1 212 444 0481 and the pass code is 4580296#. Please go to our website at www.millicom.com for a copy of the slides to be discussed during the call. A live audio stream of the conference call can also be accessed at www.millicom.com. Please dial in / log on 5 minutes prior to the start of the conference call to allow time for registration. A recording of the conference call will be available for 7 days after the conference call, commencing approximately 30 minutes after the live call has finished, on: +44 (0)20 7111 1244 / +46 (0)8 5051 3897 or +1 347 366 9565, access code: 4580296#.

Millicom International Cellular S.A. is a global telecommunications group with mobile telephony operations in 14 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. It also operates cable and broadband businesses in five countries in Central America. The Group's mobile operations have a combined population under license of approximately 267 million people.

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" with respect to Millicom's expectations and plans, strategy, management's objectives, future performance, costs, revenues, earnings and other trend information. It is important to note that Millicom's actual results in the future could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements depending on various important factors. Please refer to the documents that Millicom has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Millicom's most recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Millicom on the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Millicom International Cellular S.A., any Millicom International Cellular S.A. employees or representatives acting on Millicom's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the factors referred to above. Millicom does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

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    Source: Millicom International Cellular