Weybridge, U.K., March 30, 1998—Anticipating rapid growth in the need for specialist support in areas like intellectual property (IP) cores and digital signal process (DSP) in the programmable logic market, Xilinx has announced an extension of its technical hotline to offer comprehensive dedicated applications engineering support in local European languages. Continually expanding across Europe and currently offering technical help and advice in English, French, German and Swedish, the hotline gives programmable logic designers access to a support team of over 40 Xilinx applications and design engineers experienced in different specialist disciplines.

David Keefe, European technical manager for Xilinx said, "We’ve offered technical support in Europe since we started here over ten years ago, but two years ago we identified a trend to using more complex IP core solutions and design methodologies for programmable logic. Recognising that this trend meant designers need additional support from vendors, we began a programme of investment in additional applications expertise. It’s an ongoing programme, and we expect to grow this support team by around 50 per cent over the next 18 months. Today we’ve come to a point at which we can now offer a technical hotline comparable to that available to Xilinx customers in the USA, where designers can speak to a qualified applications engineer during the normal working day. This comprehensive facility is now available to our entire European customer base."

Xilinx considers extended technical support to be an important part of the next phase of growth in the programmable logic market. This is because the increasing use of more complex IP, DSP, PCI, PCMCIA and other cores means that designers have to take into account a lot more in terms of software, ease-of-use, technology and performance.

David Keefe comments, "We’ve come a long way from the days of simple FPGA designs. Now designers need considerably more technical support, and that’s why Xilinx has set up this infrastructure in Europe."

The Xilinx team is supported by more than 40 applications engineers within its distribution channel, trained extensively in Xilinx products. The company believes in working in partnership with its distributors, which means that between Xilinx and its distributors, over 100 specialists are at the disposal of design engineers needing help in new and complex areas of programmable logic design. In addition, the company offers constantly updated 24-hour on-line support on its web site, www.xilinx.com. As well as providing the usual data sheets and product information, the site provides a database with over 3000 solutions to the most frequently asked questions, a file download area for access to patches, updates and utilities, and expert journals for design methodology specific issues. 

The web site is always up to date because Xilinx hotline support teams world-wide log all queries and upload the data to the database, making important design and support information available to all users accessing the site. A significant feature of the Xilinx WebLINX page is that designers can set up agents, so that they are automatically e-mailed when new or updated information is added to the database that corresponds to their areas of interest.

David Keefe believes that this all adds up to a significant competitive advantage over other programmable logic vendors in Europe. "Our customers will be able to access support engineers with in-depth knowledge of Xilinx silicon, software, IP core solutions, design methodologies, and our CAE vendor software products. We’re committed to providing world class technical services and support to our growing European customer base—which means focusing on providing local language, technically competent and responsive technical support."

Xilinx is the leading innovator of complete programmable logic solutions, including advanced integrated circuits, software design tools, predefined system functions delivered as cores, and unparalleled field engineering support. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Xilinx invented the field programmable gate array (FPGA) and commands more than half of the world market for these devices today. Xilinx solutions enable customers to reduce significantly the time required to develop products for the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, high-reliability/military, and consumer markets. For more information, visit the Xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com.