Agere Systems (AGR)

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NEWS: Agere Systems Delivers Wireless Products to Korea's Sewon Teletech to Boost Korean Wireless Base Station Equipment Performance
Monday January 19, 7:00 am ET

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040119/nym035_1.html

ALLENTOWN, Pa., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Agere Systems (NYSE: AGR.A - News, AGR.B - News) today announced it has delivered radio-frequency (RF) transistors to Sewon Teletech, Inc., to boost next-generation wireless equipment performance. Sewon is the largest supplier of power amplifiers to wireless and repeater original equipment manufacturers in Korea.
Sewon Teletech has used Agere's RF LDMOS (laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor) transistor-based amplifiers in Korea's Personal Communication System wireless networks. These amplifiers adhere to the Code Division Multiple Access standard. Sewon's amplifiers have been in service in the market for more than six months. The amplifiers have consistently demonstrated high levels of reliability and performance in customer applications.

"Agere's technology has proven to be reliable and technically sound for our power amplifiers," said Dr. Chul Dong Kim, Sewon's chief executive officer. "Using Agere's reliable technology, Sewon is well-positioned to accelerate growth of its power amplifier businesses in 2.5G and 3G applications."

Because product returns and replacement costs are particularly expensive in the power amplifier market, equipment providers demand that components pass rigorous field tests and prove their stability in real applications.

"Agere is enthusiastic about achieving another milestone in our aggressive pursuit of the RF power transistor business by announcing our relationship with Sewon," said Carlos Garcia, vice president and general manager of Agere's Analog Products Division. "Sewon is one of Agere's key Korean customers. Agere shares Sewon's exceptionally high standards for excellence in product quality. Both companies are working together to accelerate Korea's installation of next-generation wireless equipment, which already ranks among the world's most advanced."

Agere's transistors enable Sewon's base station amplifiers to remain cooler, translating to reduced total system costs, simplified product design and improved equipment reliability. Agere entered this market last year. The company offers more than 30 transistor products. Agere's products are currently being considered for next generation designs by nine of the top 10 telecom equipment manufacturers.

With today's announcement, Sewon joins a group of top-ranked, Korean-based customers using Agere's semiconductor technology. The sale also builds on Agere's ranking of second worldwide in sales of chips for wireless infrastructure applications*.

Agere Systems is a premier provider of advanced integrated circuit solutions for wireless data, high-density storage and multiservice networking applications. Agere's wireless data portfolio enables seamless network access and Internet connectivity through its GPRS offering for data-capable cellular phones, as well as Wi-Fi/802.11 solutions for wireless LANs and computing applications. The company is the market leader in providing integrated circuits for the hard disk drive market, with number one positions in sales of system-on-a-chip solutions and preamplifiers. Agere also provides custom and standard multiservice networking solutions to move information across wired, wireless and enterprise networks. Agere's customers include the leading PC manufacturers, wireless terminal providers, network equipment suppliers and hard-disk drive providers. More information about Agere Systems is available from its web site at http://www.agere.com.

Agere is a registered trademark and Agere Systems and the Agere Systems logo are trademarks of Agere Systems Inc.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on information available to Agere as of the date hereof. Agere's actual results could differ materially from the results stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact of any global or regional health epidemic, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, keeping pace with technological change, dependence on new product development, price and product competition, availability of manufacturing capacity, customer demand for our products and services, general industry and market conditions, limits on our ability to issue equity to raise capital and reliance on major customers and suppliers. For a further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2003. Agere disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.