Agere Systems Announces Industry's First Raman Pump Laser for Undersea Optical Networks

Business Wire, June 18, 2001

Business Editors

ALLENTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2001

Raman Amplification Allows Longer Distances Between

Submerged Repeaters, Reducing System Costs

Agere Systems (NYSE: AGR.A), the world leader in communications semiconductors, today announced the industry's first undersea pump laser for Raman amplification in ultra-high-capacity submarine optical networks.

Raman amplification boosts the strength of communications signals traveling through optical fiber more effectively than current amplification techniques, thereby allowing longer distances between amplifying devices. That, in-turn, reduces the cost of deploying optical networks, especially on undersea routes that require ultra-reliable and therefore more costly amplifying devices, or repeaters.

In Raman amplification, the pump laser sends a signal down the same fiber as the transmission signal, which boosts the transmitted signal's power throughout the optical span between two repeaters. It delivers a significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio over other amplification technologies such as those using erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs).

"Undersea networks demand high-reliability components, and our new pump laser is specifically designed to meet the stringent requirements of submerged high-capacity applications," explained Stefan Rochus, Agere's director of marketing for submarine and amplifier applications. "With this device, Agere is extending its expertise in Raman technology - first deployed in terrestrial networks - into the undersea market."

The new device, called the SLR250, is an uncooled, high-power Fabry-Perot (FP) pump laser stabilized with an external fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The indium phosphide-based laser, available in 1480 nanometer (nm) and other 14xx nm wavelengths, supports a fiber output power of up to 250 milliwatts (mW) with a drive current of less than one amp and an operating voltage of less than 2.5 volts.

Agere's experience in developing and deploying undersea lasers dates as far back as 1988, when the company (then part of AT&T) provided lasers for the very first transatlantic fiber cable, called TAT-8. Agere was also the first company to announce both 1480 and 980 nm pump lasers for erbium-doped undersea amplifiers.

"Agere's long-term focus on undersea components as well as its dedicated submarine manufacturing capability gives our devices excellent reliability," Rochus said. "For instance, Agere has shipped more than 40,000 units of our 980 nm pump laser for submerged deployment, and they have accumulated more than 132 million hours of service without a single failure."

The SLR250 pump laser uses a Panda polarization maintaining fiber with an FBG, which ensures a smaller wavelength shift due to fluctuations in operating temperature. The laser is housed in the same butterfly package used in Agere's 980 nm pump lasers, with an identical pin layout.

Agere is currently delivering sample quantities of the SLR250 undersea pump laser, with production quantities expected in early 2002.

Agere Systems Inc., formerly the Microelectronics Group of Lucent Technologies, is the world leader in semiconductors for communications applications. Lucent has announced it intends to spin off Agere Systems as an independent company. Agere Systems offers integrated optoelectronics and integrated circuits solutions to help customers reduce the time and expense of developing new communications equipment. It also provides wireless computer networking solutions through its ORiNOCO product line. More information about Agere Systems is available from its Web site at http://www.agere.com.

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 those 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, completion of the distribution of Agere stock by Lucent Technologies Inc., price and product competition, keeping pace with technological change, dependence on new product development, reliance on major customers and suppliers, customer demand for our products and services, availability of manufacturing capacity, components and materials, control of costs and expenses, general industry and market conditions and growth rates and general domestic and international economic conditions including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. For a further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see the prospectus filed by Agere with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2001. 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.