Agere Systems Begins Sampling Industry's Fastest Preamplifier Chip for Enterprise and Desktop Hard Disk Drive Markets

ALLENTOWN, Pa., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Agere Systems today announced that it is shipping samples to customers of its latest high-performance, low-power preamplifier integrated circuit (IC) specifically designed for use in enterprise and desktop computer hard disk drives (HDDs).

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Agere's new TrueStore(R) PA7800 preamplifier offers exceptional performance, with the industry's fastest operating speeds topping 2.5 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) while consuming nearly 30 percent less power in write mode than the previous-generation Agere chips. The PA7800 enables higher capacity through its increased data rate, compatibility with a new generation of TMR heads and reduced power dissipation.

Ruediger Stroh, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Agere's Storage division, said, "This new enterprise and desktop preamp offers a high- performance solution to disk drive makers that demonstrates remarkable improvements in writer rise time while utilizing innovative power-saving features to combat the extra power typically associated with increased performance. Agere's leading HDD IC solutions give designers the flexibility of using a single preamplifier across multiple drive designs, which reduces development costs and time to market, and maximizes performance for head technologies that are evolving continuously. The TrueStore PA7800 represents yet another milestone in our drive to become the leader in silicon and systems for HDD makers."

Key to the industry-leading performance of the PA7800 is the chip's writer rise time. This is a measure of how fast the preamp can switch current to the writer head for recording data on the HDD's platter, or storage media. The writer rise time for the PA7800 provides a nearly 30 percent improvement over Agere's previous-generation preamp for this market.

The worldwide market for preamps is estimated at $466 million in 2007 and is growing at a compound annual rate of 5.5 percent, according to IDC, an independent research firm.

An HDD's preamplifier is closely tied to the performance of the drive's heads and media. As a drive "reads" analog data from the disk drive platter, the preamplifier amplifies these extremely small signals before they are sent to a read-channel IC for sophisticated processing and digitization. A preamplifier is also integral to the write process by driving current through the inductive write head, which records information on the platter.

Agere expects to be in volume production with its high-performance PA7800 preamplifier IC by the fall of 2007.

About Agere Systems

Agere Systems is a global leader in semiconductors and software solutions for storage, mobility and networking markets. The company's products enable a broad range of services and capabilities, from cell phones, PCs and hard disk drives to the world's most sophisticated wireless and wireline networks. Agere's customers include top manufacturers of consumer electronics and communications and computing equipment. Agere works to transform the performance of networks and consumer electronics by integrating systems knowledge and leading technology that enable people to stay connected -- perfecting the connected lifestyle.

For more information, customers may visit Agere's Web site at http://www.agere.com/ or contact one of Agere's regional sales offices. Customers in the U.S. may also call the Agere Systems Customer Response Center at 1-800- 372-2447. Customers in Canada may call 1-800-553-2448. Customers outside those countries may call 1-610-712-4323. Fax inquiries may be directed to 1- 610-712-4106, or e-mail queries to docmaster@agere.com. Written inquiries should be sent to Agere Systems, Room 10A-301C, 1110 American Parkway NE, Lehigh Valley Central Campus, Allentown, PA, 18109, USA.

Agere, Agere Systems, the Agere Systems logo and TrueStore are registered trademarks of Agere Systems Inc.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on information currently available to Agere. Agere's actual results could differ materially from the results stated or implied by those forward-looking statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, expenses related to and uncertainty resulting from our proposed merger with a subsidiary of LSI Logic Corporation, our reliance on major customers and suppliers, our ability to keep pace with technological change, our dependence on new product development, price and product competition, availability of manufacturing capacity, customer demand for our products and services, and general industry and market conditions. 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, 2006, and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2006. 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.