OTTAWA, CANADA, April 6, 2010 – Zarlink Semiconductor (TSX: ZL) today introduced ClockCenter, the industry’s first “any rate, any port, all the time” platform for high-speed optical transport network (OTN) and communications equipment. ClockCenter expands Zarlink’s business with existing customers that are now targeting new applications, and manufacturers seeking innovative timing technologies to help solve critical performance and reliability issues. 

“ClockCenter is a key addition to our timing portfolio that brings our field-proven timing expertise, standards knowledge and design support to a much broader range of end-markets,” said Kirk Mandy, President and CEO, Zarlink Semiconductor. “We believe our timing portfolio will be a significant growth driver for our Communications business. Strong customer demand for our timing products for wireless backhaul, combined with new opportunities for timing technologies in optical transport applications, is creating a business that we anticipate will grow by approximately 30-40 percent in the coming years.” 

Zarlink’s ClockCenter products are the only single-chip solutions available today that deliver performance and cost benefits required by equipment manufacturers, including programmability, flexibility, and feature integration. The innovative platform provides customers with a unique architecture that supports any rate to any rate frequency translation, where competing solutions are limited and cannot truly support any rate without requiring multiple devices. Lead customers, including Ciena Corporation, are now using ClockCenter products to generate the full range of clock frequencies required as carriers deploy higher speed optical networks to deliver multiple communication services to end customers.

“Several of the world’s largest network operators rely on Ciena’s reconfigurable switching systems as they transition their networks to OTN to deliver reliable, differentiated communication services to end customers,” said Manuel Damas, Vice President of Engineering, Ciena. “This network migration highlights the need for new timing technologies that offer the flexibility and transparency required to carry complex services over OTN. Zarlink’s ClockCenter products deliver this capability and performance as single-chip solutions that help us simplify and speed design.”

Groundbreaking timing technology

New ClockCenter synchronous products expand Zarlink’s business with existing manufacturers now designing networking equipment for emerging OTN applications. The devices synchronize “any rate, any port, all the time”, meaning the single-chip solution accepts and generates any frequency (1 kHz to 720 MHz) required to support all communication services delivered over optical and Ethernet networks. 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.

The Zarlink ClockCenter free run products target a new customer base designing equipment for a range of applications that have traditionally relied on multiple oscillators, logic converters and fan outs to time processors, memory chips, PHY chips and more. With Zarlink ClockCenter free run clock products, equipment manufacturers can now replace multiple external components with an integrated single-chip device from Zarlink that helps lower bill of material costs, reduces board space requirements, simplifies design complexity and improves performance reliability.

ClockCenter Available Now

The ClockCenter platform’s first multi-channel synchronous clock translators and free run clock generators are now available. To learn more about Zarlink’s new ClockCenter platform, 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.

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.

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.