August 19, 2003 - Specialized in xDSL solutions, the company LEA based in Rennes (France), is opening a design center in Antwerp (Belgium) for silicon circuit integration and teams up with IMEC (Interuniversity Microelectronics Center) in Leuven via Europractice IC Service to develop the next generation integrated xDSL products.

LEA SA is announcing the creation of LEA ABC (LEA ASICs for Broadband Communications) in Antwerp, Belgium.  LEA ABC becomes the new center of competence for ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) integration in the LEA concern with the sites LEA Rennes, LEA Paris, LEA UK, LEA US and LEA Far East.

At the same time LEA announces the signature of a cooperation agreement with Europractice IC Service, the European provider of low-cost prototype ICs and small volume production coordinated by IMEC in Leuven, one of the largest independent European research centers in microelectronics and nanotechnology.

The two companies team up their competence to develop a new generation of ASICs in the specific domain of xDSL, LEA in the field of broadband telecom and IMEC’s Europractice IC Service in the field of ASICs.

The Flanders region in Belgium is worldwide recognized as the European excellence valley for ASIC design. To optimally appeal to the expertise in Flanders, as available at IMEC and at the Flemish universities, the central location of Antwerp was chosen to establish LEA ABC.

“With this new design center and the strategic technological partnership, LEA continuous the strategy focused on excellence and mastering advanced broadband silicon connectivity solutions,” says Eric Berthaud, CEO of LEA.

In cooperation with European ASIC research centers, LEA is innovating since 2002 the xDSL market with Active Wire, the first ADSL splitter filter integrated in silicon (CMOS 0.5 micron).  LEA is installing today in telephone exchanges telecom equipment for more than 3,5 million lines in the world.

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Note to editors

About IMEC

IMEC (Inter-university MicroElectronics Center) was founded in 1984 and today is Europe’s largest independent research center in the field of microelectronics, nanotechnology, enabling design methods and technologies for ICT systems. IMEC's activities concentrate on the design technology for integrated information and communication systems; silicon process steps and modules, silicon processes; nanotechnology, microsystems, components and packaging; solar cells; and advanced training in microelectronics. IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has a staff of more than 1250 people including over 380 industrial residents and guest researchers. Its revenue of more than 138Meuro is derived from agreements and contracts with the Flemish government and companies, equipment and material suppliers and semiconductor and system-oriented companies worldwide, the EC, MEDEA+ and ESA. News from IMEC is located at www.imec.be.

About Europractice IC Service

Europractice IC Service was set up in 1995 as part of a project by the European Commission to stimulate use by European industry and universities of advanced IC technologies. The Europractice service, run by a consortium headed by IMEC, offers industry and academia a fully supported, affordable route to IC design, prototyping, and small and medium volume production. Annually, about 500 designs are prototyped and 130 small volume projects are manufactured at leading IC manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.europractice.imec.be.

About LEA SA

Since the early start in November 1999, LEA has equipped 3.5 million telephone lines in the world with its first generation of ADSL filters; this is 10% of the world market and over 35% of the European market.  For 2003, the planning is: 5 to 6 million.  With the main office in Rennes in Cesson Sévigné, the “French telecom vally”, LEA S.A. is a company specialized in the design and supply of ADSL/VDSL active and passive filters and the solutions for broadband power line communication.

The company contributes strongly to the standardization of xDSL technologies in the standardization bodies: Dl Forum, ETSI TM6/ATAC and US-ANSI T1E1 and provides xDSL interoperability test services from its DSL-forum approved laboratory.

More info:

In Europe: 44 1580 761 856

In North America: 212 689 3456

Or: info@leacom.fr

For more information:

Actus RP:         Clémence Favereau - Phone: +31 1 53 67 36 54  - cfavereau@actus.fr

Laurent Meggs - Phone: +31 1 53 67 36 39 - lmeggs@actus.fr

IMEC:               Katrien Marent, Corporate Communication Manager; Tel: +32 16 28 18 80,

Fax +32 16 28 16 37, E-mail: Katrien.Marent@imec.be