GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: RFMD), a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance semiconductor components, today released the industry's first fully integrated 5.8 GHz transmitter to comply with China's electronic toll collection (ETC) standard: "GB/T 20851.1-2007: Electronic Toll Collection - Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) Part 1: Physical Layer". RFMD's ML5830 is a low-power, amplitude shift key (ASK) and frequency shift key (FSK) transmitter operating in the 5.8 GHz ISM band. It is designed for electronic toll collection applications, including on board units (OBUs) and road side units (RSUs).

With the implementation of RFMD's proprietary FastWave^™ microcontroller technology, the ML5830 eliminates the cumbersome mass production tuning process necessary with competing solutions. FastWave^™ microcontroller technology enhances performance through self-alignment of the VCO, filtering and phase locked loop (PLL) detection and control. FastWave^™ also enables user-specific application configurations through modifications via a three-wire serial interface to transmitter control, calibration and interface algorithms.

Alastair Upton, general manager of RFMD's Broadband and Consumer Business Unit, said, "As the industry's first fully integrated 5.8GHz transmitter to comply with China's ETC standard, the ML5830 significantly accelerates time-to-market for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) while allowing RFMD^® to participate in a growing market segment for wireless data. Also, with the implementation of our proprietary FastWave^™ microcontroller technology, the ML5830 delivers incremental benefits to designers and OEMs in time savings and simplified design."

"After testing and evaluating the ML5830, we have concluded that its features and functions do comply to the DSRC products according to Chinese National Standard, and do meet China ETC National Standard requirements," said Huang Wei-Ming of Guangzhou ITS Communications Equipment Co. Ltd. "Our company is in the process of designing in the ML5830 and we target to commence mass production with our end product in May 2009."

The ML5830 integrates an upconversion mixer, a buffer/pre-driver amplifier and an ASK modulator capable of producing a typical output power of +4 dBm. The ML5830's unique design provides designers industry-leading ease-of-implementation and a minimal external bill-of-materials (BOM) count as well as improved time-to-market for OEMs. The ML5830's FSK mode provides digitally selectable data rates of 1 and 2 Mbps. Importantly, the ML5830 also incorporates a fully integrated fractional-N synthesizer, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and the necessary filtering to digitally switch to a higher power, higher data rate FSK modulation mode, providing OEMs the flexibility to meet both current and future needs of the ETC market.

    Technical features of the ML5830 include:
    --  Less than 36 mA of current consumption, while delivering +4 dBm of
        output power
    --  Fully integrated digital FIR transmit data filter limits Occupied
        Bandwidth (OBW)
    --  Fractional-N synthesizer with 30 Hz resolution
    --  Self-calibrating VCO and filters eliminate tuning using FastWave(TM)
        microcontroller technology
    --  Three-wire serial control interface
    --  Integrated power regulation enabling 2.7 to 3.6 V operation

Availability and Pricing

The ML5830 is priced at $5.00 each in quantities of 10,000 units and is packaged in a 6 x 6 x 1 mm, 40-pin QFN package. Samples and pre-production quantities are available immediately, and volume production is expected to commence in the June 2009 quarter.

RFMD's ISM Band Product Portfolio

RFMD's growing portfolio of ISM band products delivers low power consumption, ease of implementation and superior performance in wireless audio, wireless video, automatic meter reading, wireless game controllers and other wireless data applications. RFMD's ISM band products feature FastWave^™ microcontroller technology, which improves transceiver performance and enables flexible user-specific application configurations by allowing modifications to transceiver control, calibration and interface algorithms.

About RFMD

RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: RFMD) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance semiconductor components. RFMD's products enable worldwide mobility, provide enhanced connectivity and support advanced functionality in the cellular handset, wireless infrastructure, wireless local area network (WLAN), CATV/broadband and aerospace and defense markets. RFMD is recognized for its diverse portfolio of semiconductor technologies and RF systems expertise and is a preferred supplier to the world's leading mobile device, customer premises and communications equipment providers.

Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities. RFMD is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol RFMD. For more information, please visit RFMD's web site at www.rfmd.com.

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements included herein represent management's current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements or publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as is required under the federal securities laws. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in quarterly operating results, the impact of global macroeconomic and credit conditions on our business, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, risks associated with our planned exit from our wireless systems business, including cellular transceivers and GPS solutions, the risk that restructuring charges may be greater than originally anticipated and that the cost savings and other benefits from the restructuring may not be achieved, risks associated with the operation of our wafer fabrication facilities, molecular beam epitaxy facility, assembly facility and test and tape and reel facilities, our ability to complete acquisitions and integrate acquired companies, including the risk that we may not realize expected synergies from our business combinations, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and develop leaders, variability in production yields, our ability to reduce costs and improve gross margins by implementing innovative technologies, our ability to bring new products to market, our ability to adjust production capacity in a timely fashion in response to changes in demand for our 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 and other reports 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^®, RFMD^® and FastWave^™ are trademarks of RFMD, LLC. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE RF Micro Devices, Inc. 01/20/2009
CONTACT: Doug DeLieto, VP, Investor Relations, +1-336-678-7968,
or Jerry Neal, Executive Vice President, +1-336-678-7001, both of RFMD


Web Site: http://www.rfmd.com (RFMD RFMD)