Press Room

Santa Clara, California, March 30, 2004 – Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Incorporated (ASE, TAIEX: 2311, NYSE: ASX), the world’s largest semiconductor packaging and testing company, announced today that Nordic VLSI ASA (OSX: NOD) has selected ASE’s Green QFN packaging solution for its broad portfolio of components for ISM band communication. Signifying the first time a Green QFN package has been qualified for a transceiver/transmitter in Europe, Nordic chose ASE’s Green QFN packaging solution in a move to provide customers with environmentally-friendly devices without compromising the advanced capabilities of its nRF family of products.

As part of its ongo ing Green initiative, ASE has continuously investigated and tested the performance of various types of lead-free solders to generate alternative semiconductor package applications. As a result, ASE provides a broad portfolio of lead-free package types, which have been reliability-tested at 260 degrees Celsius peak reflow profile. ASE’s Green QFN packages are in compliance with the European Parliament Directive entitled “Restrictions on the use of Hazardous Substances” (RoHS) and also comply with universal environmental regulations set by the United States, Japan, and China. In addition, the Green QFN packages meet JEDEC’s moisture sensitivity level (MSL) requirements of 2. Offering better MSL performance than lead-containing packages, the Green QFN package provides robust solder joint life and is fully compatible with regular assembly process.

“Our tight relationship with ASE provides our customers with a perfect fit combination of forefront RF design solutions and assembly technology, ” said Svein-Egil Nielsen, Sales and Marketing Director of Nordic VLSI. He continued, “Environmental concerns represent a challenge to the electronics industry, but ASE’s Green QFN technology enables us to provide solutions in a timely manner, not only from the viewpoint of standards compliance, but also reliability and production capacity.”

“We are pleased that Nordic has chosen the Green QFN packaging solution to address the significant ecological challenges of increasing concern to customers today, ” said Dr Tien Wu, President of ASE Americas, Europe and Japan. “This development demonstrates our expanding presence and penetration into the global Green package market. ASE’s unique technology in Green QFN packaging has set a new standard in lead-free packages by enabling world-class performance for the most complex RFIC devices.”

About Nordic VLSI ASA
Founded in 1983, Nordic VLSI has evolved steadily from the traditional ASIC design house into a leading European fabless semiconductor supplier. With world-class IC design expertise focused on RF/mixed-mode and advanced back-end/physical design capabilities, Nordic is currently marketing and selling three products: high performance dataconverter IP, custom design and manufacturing services (ASIC), and a ground-breaking portfolio of standard products for wireless communication, the nRF product family. With the latter, figureheaded by the nRF2401, an ultra compact 2.4GHz transceiver, the company has established itself as a market leader within the wireless personal interface segment comprising applications such as gamepads, keyboard / mouse and sports equipment. Nordic’s products are manufactured on ultra modern technologies through strong relationships with world leading manufacturing facilities and are sold through a world-wide distribution network. The company has offices in Trondheim and Oslo, Norway as well as Hong-Kong, and is listed on the Norwegian Stock Exchange (OSX: NOD). Further information is available at http://www.nvlsi.no.