RF Micro Devices Launches Next-Generation GaAs HBT Pre-Driver Power Amplifiers for Cellular Base Stations

NEW ORLEANS, Mar 15, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- RF Micro Devices^®, Inc. (NASDAQ: RFMD):

RFMD's Single-Stage RF3807 and RF3809 Pre-Driver Power Amplifiers

-- Offer Broadband Performance across CDMA, GSM, DCS, PCS and UMTS Frequencies, Lowering Total Cost of Implementation

-- Exhibit High Degree of Linearity in All Bands

-- Assembled In Industry Standard Lead (pB)-Free, Thermally Enhanced, Plastic SOIC-8 Packages, Providing Low Thermal Resistance

RF Micro Devices^®, Inc. (NASDAQ: RFMD), a leading provider of proprietary radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) for wireless communications applications, today announced two new gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor (GaAs HBT) pre-driver power amplifiers (PAs) for cellular base station applications. The half-watt RF3807 and two-watt RF3809 single-stage devices operate across CDMA, GSM, DCS, PCS and UMTS frequencies and lower the total cost of implementation for manufacturers of cellular base stations. The RF3807 and RF3809 feature high linearity (Greater than +42 dBm, UMTS), high power-added efficiency (Greater than 40%, P1dB) and broadband (450-2200 MHz) performance, providing functionality for a variety of wireless applications.

Jeff Shealy, vice president, infrastructure product line, RF Micro Devices, said, "The broadband performance of our new highly linear amplifiers enable infrastructure manufacturers to accommodate the demanding capacity requirements of next-generation, feature-rich cellular phones. Also, through our manufacturing scale and design expertise in GaAs HBT, we're able to provide our customers a more robust infrastructure-qualified amplifier that leverages our low-cost manufacturing advantage."

Operating in the UMTS frequency band, the RF3807 driver amplifier provides +28.5 dBm output power (OP1dB), high power efficiency (40% at OP1dB), high linearity (+42 dBm OIP3) and gain (14.5 dB) under linear operation. The RF3807 obtains -60 dBc Adjacent Channel Power (ACPR) at power output (Pout) of +17 dBm (test condition: ACPR measured at 5 MHz offset, WCDMA modulation, 64 channel base station forward link).

Operating in the UMTS frequency band, the RF3809 driver amplifier provides +33.5 dBm output power (OP1dB), high power efficiency (43% at OP1dB), high linearity (+43 dBm OIP3) and gain (10.5 dB) under linear operation. The RF3809 obtains -60 dBc ACPR at Pout of +20 dBm (test condition: ACPR measured at 5 MHz offset, WCDMA modulation, 64 channel base station forward link).

The RF3807 and RF3809 complement RFMD's GaAs HBT pre-driver and driver amplifier product portfolio, which offers customers an array of design options ranging from +28 dBm to +37 dBm output power (P1dB). The plastic-packaged RF3807 and RF3809 GaAs HBT pre-driver power amplifiers deliver a low-cost multiband (450-2200 MHz) option to customers with power output requirements that are less than two-watts (P1dB). For customers seeking driver amplifiers with power output requirements that are greater than two-watts (P1dB), RFMD offers the RF3800 series (RF3800, RF3802, RF3805), assembled in Aluminum Nitride (AlN) packages.

The RF3807 and RF3809 are currently being sampled to customers. The pre-driver amplifiers are priced at $4.07 in quantities of 10,000 units and will be available from RFMD in volume production during the second quarter of calendar year 2005.

RFMD will showcase the RF3807 and RF3809 GaAs HBT driver power amplifiers at CTIA Wireless 2005 in New Orleans, March 14-16, Booth #3953.

For more information about RFMD or the RF3807 or RF3809, please visit www.rfmd.com. Product photography is available by downloading it from the product photography website: http://www.rfmd.com/coInfoPromotionalPhotos.asp.

RF Micro Devices, Inc., an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer, designs, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary RFICs primarily for wireless communications products and applications such as cellular and PCS phones, base stations, WLANs and cable television modems. The Company offers a broad array of products - including amplifiers, mixers, modulators/demodulators, and single-chip receivers, transmitters and transceivers - representing a substantial majority of the RFICs required in wireless subscriber equipment. The Company's goal is to be the premier supplier of low-cost, high-performance integrated circuits and solutions for applications that enable wireless connectivity. RF Micro Devices, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol RFMD.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to RF Micro Devices' plans, objectives, estimates and goals. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes" and "estimates," and variations of these words and similar expressions, identify these forward-looking statements. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in quarterly operating results, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, risks associated with the operation of wafer fabrication, molecular beam epitaxy and test, tape and reel facilities and the Company's conversion from four-inch to six-inch wafer manufacturing, its ability to manage rapid growth and to attract and retain skilled personnel, variability in production yields, its ability to control and reduce costs and improve gross margins on highly integrated products, dependence on a limited number of customers and dependence on third parties. These and other risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in RF Micro Devices' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements.

RF MICRO DEVICES^® and RFMD^® are trademarks of RFMD, LLC.

SOURCE: RF Micro Devices, Inc.

RF Micro Devices, Inc.
Jerry Neal, 336-664-1233