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OTTAWA, CANADA--(Marketwire - May 12, 2010) - Zarlink Semiconductor (TSX:ZL) today announced that Tejas Networks has designed Zarlink's new ClockCenter universal clock translator products into multiservice switch platforms targeting optical transport network (OTN) expansion. Tejas Networks is a leading innovator of carrier grade communications equipment, and its products are used in all major telecom networks in India and over 50 countries around the world.

"Our new ClockCenter products are earning design wins with network equipment manufacturers based on very clear performance advantages versus the competition," said Louise Gaulin, Product Line Director of Zarlink's Timing and Synchronization group. "Equipment manufacturers need timing solutions that can accept and generate the full range of frequencies required as carriers deploy OTN to cost-effectively deliver all communication services over a single network. While competitors promise any rate frequency capabilities, Zarlink's ClockCenter products are the industry's only products truly delivering 'any rate, any port, all the time' performance as single-chip solutions to help reduce design time and speed time to market for OTN equipment manufacturers."

OTN is a next-generation, industry-standard protocol that provides an efficient way to deliver the full range of communication services, including video, data and multimedia applications, over a single optical network. Zarlink's ClockCenter products solve the complex synchronization challenges of delivering multiple communication services over optical networks, while delivering significant design advantages for equipment manufacturers.

"Carriers are aggressively migrating to a scalable, more efficient optical infrastructure to support bandwidth-hungry consumer and enterprise communication applications, including data-intense smartphone and triple play services," said Milind Kulkarni, Vice President of Engineering with Tejas Networks. "This network evolution requires more intelligent network equipment, such as multiservice switch platforms from Tejas Networks, that integrates innovative timing techniques to handle complex, higher speed communication services. Zarlink's highly integrated ClockCenter products are helping Tejas quickly and more cost-effectively design products that meet new performance demands from carriers."

Innovative "any rate, any port, all the time" performance

Zarlink's ClockCenter universal clock translator solutions simplify high-speed, complex synchronous applications by integrating independent narrow band digital phase locked loops (PLLs) and a unique two-stage architecture that supports any rate to any rate frequency translation between up to four input references and up to 20 programmable output clocks.

The devices synchronize "any rate, any port, all the time", meaning a single-chip ClockCenter solution accepts and generates any frequency (1 kHz to 720 MHz) required to support all communication services delivered over optical and Ethernet networks. As a result, equipment designers can replace multiple components with a single chip to help simplify design and reduce component count and power. In comparison, competing approaches offer limited frequency support, which forces equipment manufacturers to rely on multiple devices to achieve the same flexibility supported by single-chip ClockCenter products.

ClockCenter Available Now

Zarlink's ClockCenter multi-channel synchronous clock translator products are now available. To learn more about ClockCenter, visit [ http://www.zarlink.com/timing_ClockCenter.htm ]. Full information, including complete data sheets and design manuals, is available to registered MyZarlink customers. To register for a MyZarlink account, visit [ http://www.zarlink.com/zarlink/hs/login.htm ].

Editor's Note: A high-resolution photo of the ClockCenter platform is available at [ http://www.zarlink.com/zarlink/hs/22649.htm ].

About Zarlink Semiconductor

For over 30 years, Zarlink Semiconductor has delivered semiconductor solutions that drive the capabilities of voice, enterprise, broadband and wireless communications. The Company's success is built on its technology strengths including voice and data networks, optoelectronics and ultra low-power communications. For more information, visit [ www.zarlink.com ].

About Tejas Networks

Tejas Networks is a leading innovator of carrier grade communications equipment. Tejas pioneered the development of cost effective, next-generation SDH/SONET as well as Carrier Ethernet products that enable telecom carriers to converge traditional voice-based transmission networks with the new data-dominated networks. Today, Tejas products are used in all major telecom networks in India and in over 50 countries around the world.

For more information, visit Tejas Networks at [ http://www.tejasnetworks.com ]

Shareholders and other individuals wishing to receive, free of charge, copies of the reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Regulatory Authorities, should visit the Company's web site at [ www.zarlink.com ] or contact Investor Relations.

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the following: our dependence on the successful development and market introduction of new products; our ability to integrate any business, technologies, product lines or services that we have or will acquire; our dependence on revenue generation from our legacy products in order to fund development of our new products; current market conditions, including the lack of liquidity in the markets and economic slowdown, may increase our operating costs or reduce our revenue, thereby negatively impacting our operating results; our ability to operate profitably and generate positive cash flows in the future; the impact of the current economic crisis on our suppliers and customers and our ability to transfer parts to other suppliers; our dependence on our foundry suppliers and third-party subcontractors; order cancellations and deferrals by our customers; our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial position; the cost and accounting implications of compliance with new accounting standards; and other factors referenced in our Annual Report on Form 20-F. Investors are encouraged to consider the risks detailed in this filing.

Zarlink and the Zarlink Semiconductor logo are trademarks of Zarlink Semiconductor Inc.