Agere Systems Introduces High-Performance SONET/SDH Mapper and T/E Framer with Industry-Standard Interfaces for Access Networks

Carrier-class devices enable system vendors and service providers to bundle more connections at lower costs and power per user on existing equipment

MARCH 11, 2003 - ALLENTOWN, Pa.-- Agere Systems Inc. (NYSE: AGR.A, AGR.B) today introduced two new members to its families of high-performance, multi-use SONET/SDH mapper and T/E carrier framer chips, which offer higher performance and industry-standard interfaces, while lowering development costs and power, over competitive products. Designated Ultramapper™ FT and Ultraframer™, the chips enable network equipment makers, for the first time, to increase capacity and number of ports in their systems using industry-standard line interface units (LIU), versus limiting proprietary technology. The new devices target wired and wireless access network applications including multi-service access systems, 3G wireless network controllers, access concentrators, high-density interfaces for multiplexers, switches, routers and voice gateways. Agere is now shipping volume quantities of both.

SONET/SDH mappers are integrated circuits (ICs) that prepare and label data from T/E carrier lines for transmission through higher-speed digital optical networks. T/E framers are ICs that provide framing, error detection and performance monitoring in accordance with AT&T, ANSI, ITU-T and ETSI standards.

Agere's single-chip Ultramapper FT integrates an add-drop multiplexer (ADM), while the Ultraframer offers 84-channels to support the industry's highest number of user connections. These systems-on-chip (SoCs) extend Agere's market-leading Supermapper™, Ultramapper™ and Superframer™ products, making Agere the industry's premier, one-stop shop for mappers and framers.

Ultramapper-FT provides three times the capability of Supermapper, tripling the number and density of T1/E1 ports from 28 T1 or 21 E1 ports, to 84 T1s to 63 E1s, and the lowest latency over competitive offerings, while Ultraframer offers three times the performance of Agere's Superframer.

Together with Agere's MARS™ (Multi-Application And Rate Solutions) family of multi-use framers, the new chips comprise a complete offering that fully addresses network access and transport functionality, and provides high-density interfaces from DS0/E0, T1/E1/J1 and T3/E3 to OC-192, for a wide variety of design needs and applications at the industry's most cost-effective price points.

"There is a critical need in today's cost-driven network markets for flexible, highly compact equipment that can smoothly handle increasing volumes of phone lines, users and bandwidths, while maximizing existing infrastructure," said Mark Granahan, vice president of Agere's Access and Transport division. "The aggregation of voice and data from phone lines onto high-speed fiber optic SONET/SDH links, and the delivery of increasing volumes of voice and data from the edge of the network to the core, are key vendor strategies to meet this need. Agere is the only supplier with a proven family of integrated, scalable, compatible chip solutions that can support multi-channel OC-n terminations down to DS0/E0."

According to CIBC World Markets, the overall market size for mapper devices is over $300 million in 2002, and will grow to over $600 million by 2006. Market indicators point to a growing demand for higher-density equipment, the ability to migrate from OC-12 to OC-48, support for more DS3 trans-multiplexing (allowing DS1s to be mapped using virtual tributaries [VT] or tributary units [TU]), DS3/E3 clear channel capabilities and direct DS3 to STS1 mapping.

"Ultramapper FT is one of the first STS3/STM1 devices to support the need for higher-density DS1/E1 and DS3/E3 mapping functions and DS3/E3 trans-multiplexing capabilities," said Granahan. "Both Ultramapper FT and Ultraframer simplify the task of upgrading and increasing capacity, speed, performance and density by decreasing devices and power needed per card. They also speed time-to-market by eliminating costly software development in favor of turnkey, plug-and-play solutions."

Technical background for Ultramapper FT
Agere designed the feature-rich Ultramapper FT specifically to make system development simpler, easier and faster. An enhanced version of Agere's market-leading Ultramapper, Ultramapper FT groups together voice and data from regular phone lines for transmission across higher capacity fiber optic networks and vice versa, at the lowest cost per port, and using the smallest number of devices and lowest power consumption per user with performance monitoring. It integrates the functions of path protection switching, on-chip cross connect and synchronous byte mapping/GR303 support. Ultramapper FT can map, multiplex, and demultiplex one STS-3, or AU-4, three STS-1 or AU3, inputs to any valid combination of 84 DS-1 or 63 E1 signals, or six DS3 or E3. The use of four UM-FT devices allows termination of 336 DS-1 or 252 E1, or a full STS12/STM4s payload of T1/E1 Ultramapper. Key features and capabilities of the Ultramapper FT include:

• Flexible T1/T3/E1/E3/VT/TU input cross-connect
• Three M13 muxes
• DS1 to DS3 multiplexing
• E1 to E3 multiplexing
• 84/63 VT/TU mappers
• Six synchronous payload envelope/administrative unit-3 mappers
• STS-1 cross connects
• SONET/SDH termination at OC-3 or OC-12
• Six DS3/E3, 84 DS1 or 63 E1, DS1s
• STS12 pointer processor for ADM applications
• DS1 and DS3 jitter attenuators
• Cross-connect for up to three STS1/STM0s' worth of VT/TUs
• Six DS3/E3 ports for mapping up to six DS3/E3s into STS1/TUG3s

Technical background for Ultraframer

The Ultraframer combines DS3/E3, DS1/E1/J1 framing and T1 to T3 multiplexing and E1 to E3 multiplexing into a single chip. Ultraframer offers full 84-channel T/E framing capability, high-speed interfacing, seamless connections to industry-standard LIUs and time slot interchangers (TSI). It also handles the spectrum of PDH design from DS0 up to DS3. Key features of the Ultraframer include:

• Flexible T1/E1/T3/E3 input cross-connect
• 84 T1-J1/ 63 E1 framers
• DS1 to DS3 multiplexing
• E1 to E3 multiplexing
• Six DS3/E3, 84 DS1 or 63 E1, DS1s or 2,016 DS0s interfaces
• DS1 jitter attenuator

Both Ultramapper FT and Ultraframer are register-compatible and interoperable with Agere's MARS™ family of framers, the industry's most integrated and versatile SONET/SDH framers, as well as Agere's entire portfolio of line card solutions for multi-service metropolitan and access networks.

Software for both are hardware abstraction layers that can be easily ported to most microprocessors such as the PowerPC. Ultramapper FT (TMXA84622) is priced at $234 each in 10,000-unit quantities, while Ultraframer (TFRA84J13) is priced at $248 in 10,000-unit quantities.

For more information, customers may visit Agere's Web site at 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 and ask for Dept. B03. 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 email 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 Systems is a premier provider of advanced integrated circuit solutions for wireless data, high-density storage and multi-service networking applications. Agere's wireless data portfolio enables seamless network access and Internet connectivity through industry-leading WiFi/802.11 solutions for wireless LANs and computing applications, as well as its GPRS offering for data-capable cellular phones. The company also provides custom and standard multi-service networking solutions, such as broadband Ethernet-over-SONET/SDH components and wireless infrastructure chips, to move information across metro, access and enterprise networks. Agere is the market leader in providing integrated circuits such as read-channel chips, preamplifiers and system-on-a-chip solutions for high-density storage applications. 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 www.agere.com.

Ultramapper, Supermapper, Ultraframer, Superframer, Agere Systems, Agere and the Agere Systems logo are trademarks of Agere Systems Inc.
POWERPC is a registered trademark of IBM.

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, satisfactory outcome of our upcoming union contract negotiations, 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, timely completion of employment reductions and other restructuring and consolidation activities, 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, 2002, and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended December 31, 2002. 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.