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To: Jim Mullens who wrote (111327)	4/21/2012 4:27:03 PM
From: pheilman_	2 Recommendations of 117892

Having worked at a company that taped out at TSMC and a competitor, no comparison. TSMC had the process AND the libraries needed, the competitor was unable to provide some very basic components, we purchased the IP and got screwed when it didn't work. In contrast the TSMC part came back operating at speed and then some. Admittedly we were small fry and got little ssupportt but this goes back to why TSMC was better, we didn't need support. Tape out covers mapping the logical design to physical instantiation on silicon. Qualcomm likely includes some RF design that isn't in the standard logic libraries and will require a few turns to get working. Even the voltage regulators and power switching means working out a few kinks on a new process.