Intel has bought into a United Microelectronics spin-off company specialising in DSL chip production. Significantly, Taiwanese company Integrated Telecom Express (ITeX) uses DSP techniques for its products. The company is currently shipping chips compatible with the G.Lite DSL standard, the splitterless ADSL intended to simplify the technology and make it possible for products to be sold over the counter, just like modems, rather than having to be installed by telecoms engineers. Intel has been active in promoting DSL and G.Lite, and the (undisclosed) stake in ITeX may have effectively tipped some of the company's hand as far as its plans for the home market are concerned. ITeX technology will require greater CPU horsepower, but will make the DSL peripherals themselves cheaper, so its products could be useful components of DSL-ready consumer units. Several manufacturers, including Dell, already have DSL-ready machines in preparation. ®