In 1999, Michael Shealy took an off-shoot team from Cirrus Logic and formed a small private start-up that became known as Basis Communications.   The focus of Basis Communications was to design and market advanced semiconductors and other products used in equipment that directed traffic across the Internet and corporate networks. The company's Service-Specific Network Processors™ and related software were targeted for a range of "network access" systems (such as switches linking local area networks to the Internet) and customer premise equipment (CPE) used in homes and small to medium-size offices.

 

What seemed like "moments," March 21, 2000 - Intel Corporation announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Basis Communications Corporation in a transaction valued at millions of dollars. The acquisition supplemented Intel's lineup of leadership communications component and software products and immediately expanded Intel's network processor line.

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Growth rates for communications equipment used in homes and small to medium-size businesses were expected to increase significantly with the widespread deployment of digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies and data-over-cable services. Intel's plan was to incorporate Basis' network processor technology into the Intel® Internet Exchange™ (IX) architecture in order to pursue these opportunities. "The acquisition of Basis allows us to supplement the IX architecture with a network processor specifically designed for customer premise equipment, such as residential gateways and routers built to take advantage of DSL deployment," said Tom Franz, Intel vice president and general manager, Network Processing Group. "Intelligent systems based on this technology will help enable businesses and homes to take full advantage of new services made possible by high bandwith connections to the Internet."

 

In September 2000, Intel unveiled the Intel IX architecture, a blueprint for building networking and communications equipment using programmable silicon technology. The flagship of the IX architecture is Intel's IXP 1200 network processor, an advanced "packet" processing device that allows new features and functions to be quickly added to communications gear. Intel's network processor is designed to allow equipment vendors the ability to upgrade their offerings rapidly - avoiding the up to 18-month design cycles current custom chip solutions require.

 

"Combining Basis and its expertise in communications with Intel and its leadership IX architecture would help create the next generation of Internet equipment," said Mike Shealy, Basis Communications Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. "We look forward to working with Intel to shape the future of networking and communications."

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In addition to network processors, Basis offered a portfolio of wide area network (WAN) and serial communication semiconductor products, as well as PC card and "interface" controller devices targeted at the communications equipment market segments. Basis has built on this portfolio of innovative "narrowband" communications devices in order to create leadership products for WAN applications using its network processor platform.

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Basis, with headquarters in Fremont, Calif., also operated engineering and business centers in Westford, Mass., Clearwater, Fla. and Shannon, Ireland.

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December 22, 2000, only a few short months after Basis Communications was sold, the Basis Endowment Foundation was founded by Michael & Carol Shealy. It was a dream come true.