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Agere Systems Drives EDGE Technology Into the U.S. MarketALLENTOWN, Pa., April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Agere Systems today announced that it is shipping its Sceptre(R) HPE silicon and software in volume for an advanced multimedia-capable EDGE wireless phone from Samsung currently being offered by Cingular, the U.S. wireless market leader. Using Agere's solution, Samsung's SGH-P777 is the first EDGE phone from an Asia-based manufacturer in production for the U.S. market. In addition, this phone delivers new levels of multimedia functionality and high-speed wireless connectivity, while maintaining the size and battery life that U.S. consumers have come to expect for their cellular phones. Increasingly, operators are rolling out EDGE technology to support the growing market for revenue-generating multimedia applications and services. As a result, they are looking to handset makers to deliver full-featured, EDGE phones capable of downloading data at speeds of more than 220 kilobits per second (kbps) and uploading data at more than 100 kbps. Beyond proving that it addresses the high-speed data and interoperability requirements of the leading U.S. operator, the SGH-P777 also includes several key multimedia features. Specifically, the phone is a compact, slider model providing such in-demand features as a 1.3 megapixel digital camera capable of video recording and playback, a 262K color display and an integrated MP3 player. Cingular recently began offering the SGH-P777 model to customers. "As a global telecommunications leader committed to developing wireless handsets that serve as the most advanced personal multimedia devices on the market, Samsung is proud to work with Agere's Sceptre HPE solution delivering a powerful EDGE platform for the SGH-P777," said Jaeik Jung, vice president of research and development at Samsung. For many years, Agere has been Samsung's primary EDGE/GPRS solutions provider and the handset maker currently is selling multiple models based on Agere's technology including the SGH-P710 which has been deployed in Asia and the SGH-E720 GPRS phone that is available globally. Today, Agere's technology is powering more than 100 GPRS phone models currently operating in over 70 networks worldwide. "We have developed a robust EDGE solution that is being recognized by two market leaders in Samsung and Cingular," said Luc Seraphin, vice president and general manager of Agere's Mobility Division. "The incredible success that we have achieved with this platform gives us a distinct foundation in EDGE that will be an essential weapon in our arsenal as we gear up to lead the 3G market." Along with being pin-compatible to Agere's Sceptre HP GPRS chip set and universal software core, Sceptre HPE serves as a basis for an easy migration path to next-generation, dual-mode technology as part of Agere's recently announced Sceptre(R) HPU W-EDGE solution. Currently, Agere is broadly sampling its W-EDGE(TM) solution to customers, several of whom will incorporate the dual-mode solution in upcoming products under development. About Agere's EDGE solution Sceptre HPE is one of the industry's fastest and smallest Class 12 capable EDGE chip sets, providing advanced multimedia features while maintaining the power efficiency, compact size and low cost necessary to meet consumer requirements for today's cellular phones. Including power management, the solution's overall footprint is of 164 square millimeters. Equipped with an ARM(R)946E-S embedded core and Agere's proven and tested software, Sceptre HPE is able to provide the performance required for rich multimedia without needing an additional multimedia co-processor. About Agere Systems Agere Systems is a global leader in semiconductors for storage, wireless data, and public and enterprise networks. The company's chips and software power a broad range of computing and communications applications, from cell phones, PCs, PDAs, hard disk drives and gaming devices to the world's most sophisticated wireless and wireline networks. Agere's customers include top manufacturers of consumer electronics, communications and computing equipment. Agere's products connect people to information and entertainment at home, at work and on the road -- enabling 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 [email protected]. Written inquiries should be sent to Agere Systems, Room 10A-301C, 1110 American Parkway NE, Lehigh Valley Central Campus, Allentown, PA, 18109, USA. Agere and Sceptre are registered trademarks, and Agere Systems, the Agere Systems logo and W-EDGE are trademarks of Agere Systems Inc. ARM(R)946E-S is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. 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, 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, 2004, and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2004. 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. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040618/AGERELOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk; [email protected] Agere Systems CONTACT: Media: JoAnna Schooler, +1-610-712-1746 (office),+1-908-283-4060 (mobile), [email protected]; or Glen Haley, +1-610-712-1747(office), +1-610-217-0781 (mobile), [email protected], both of AgereSystems Web site: http://www.agere.com/ |