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Intersil's PRISM Duette Presented the Most Innovative Wireless Device INSIGHT Award by Semiconductor Insights 2003

-- “SI's research highlighted Intersil as a clear leader in the WLAN market”⁽¹⁾~-- Intersil and the PRISM Duette chip set cited for technical excellence and innovation

MILPITAS, CA, April 18, 2003 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions, today announced that Semiconductor Insights (SI), the leader in technical and patent analyses of integrated circuits and structures, has presented Intersil with its 2003 INSIGHT Award for Most Innovative Wireless Device for its PRISM Duette™ Dual Band, 802.11 a, b & g chipset.

“Intersil is particularly pleased that Semiconductor Insights recognized the technical achievements of our PRISM Duette dual band chip. Intersil has leveraged years of technical experience with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless LANs to develop the PRISM Duette solution,” said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil’s Wireless Networking Product Group. "The PRISM Duette chip set delivers superior range and throughput performance, and provides 100 percent support for the 802.11g draft standard’s (version 7.1) protection mode. This enables complete performance of 802.11g in mixed networks and brings unique value to our customers and end consumers.”

PRISM Duette is a unique two-chip solution that enables seamless mobility between radios operating in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The innovative two-chip solution features a dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) ZIF chip coupled to an integrated Baseband Processor and Medium Access Controller (BBP/MAC). ZIF architecture avoids the use of an intermediate frequency and the associated components hence reducing size and cost.

Each year Semiconductor Insights analyses thousands of devices including hundreds of wireless chips. This provides SI with a unique cross-industry perspective of key innovations, and technical trends and leaders. SI’s research has highlighted Intersil as a clear leader in the WLAN market. The PRISM Duette is ideally suited to dominate the wireless market, offering:

• Superior price-performance at the 5 GHz range delivered through BiCMOS process with SiGe
• A smaller footprint achieved through zero IF implementation
• Backwards compatibility to 802.11b for the enterprise market
• Effective on-board power management
• Field upgradeability of the MAC/baseband chip. No need for a separate network processor

PRISM Duette’s BBP/MAC integrates dual-band OFDM-based (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) and CCK technology to communicate with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WLAN devices. IEEE 802.11g offers data rates up to 54 Mbps while supporting full backward compatibility with the very popular 802.11b standard. Additionally, 802.11g is a perfect complement to 802.11a technology. Both 802.11a and 802.11g use a common high rate modulation scheme. Due to the availability of more spectrum in the 5 GHz bands, 802.11a systems will support a least eight non-overlapping channels, thus supporting a higher user density and easier network scalability. In comparison, 802.11g devices offer consumers an advantage in terms of range due to operation at a lower frequency as well as backward compatibility with legacy 802.11b equipment. About Intersil
Intersil Corporation is a global semiconductor leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions. Intersil’s product portfolios address four fast growing markets – flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), power management and wireless networking. Intersil brings added customer value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that enhance the computing experience for people wherever they live, work or travel. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's web site and career page at: www.intersil.com

⁽¹⁾http://www.semiconductor.com/company/announcements/2003/2003_04_16_1.asp

This release may include "forward looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. For information identifying economic, political, climatic, currency, regulatory, technological, competitive and some other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements, see Intersil’s Safe Harbor Forward Looking Statement disclaimer found at http://www.intersil.com/legal.asp, as well as Intersil’s SEC filings as updated from time to time, found at http://www.sec.gov PRISM Duette is a trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
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