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Micrel Offers New 3-Port Switch for 'Triple and Quad Play' Applications

July 5, 2005

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/Press Release -- Micrel Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRL - News), an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions, today announced the KS8893ML, the Company's latest (third generation) 3-port switch. This product follows the 2-port switch (the KS8842M) introduced in June, 2005 and is aimed at set top boxes, VoIP phones, network printers, media converters, industrial controls and game console applications in the Ethernet space. The KS8893ML is currently sampling volume quantities available in the third quarter of 2005. "Micrel's KS8893ML adds to Micrel's growing family of Ethernet switch solutions," noted Grahame Cooney, Director, Micrel Ethernet group. "With the VoIP market continuing to experience healthy growth, and the worldwide Ethernet market, in general, experiencing explosive growth in both the home and industrial space, Micrel's feature-rich switches continue to provide designers with cost-effective, space-conscious solutions for today's demanding applications."

The KS8893ML is a 3-port Ethernet device that implements Micrel's LinkMD, a time domain reflectometry (TDR)-based cable diagnostic function that diagnoses common cabling faults such as open and short circuits. This, in turn, reduces the need for costly customer calls and IT service requests. The new IC, which supports four priority queues, enables triple (voice, video and data) or quadruple (voice, video, data and gaming) play services via prioritizing traffic by class of service. Other features include repeater mode which enables industrial Ethernet customers to deploy latency-sensitive protocols. These features, combined with Micrel's trademark high reliability, outstanding performance, and low power consumption, make the KS8893ML an ideal solution for applications that manage switch functionality in a compact, cost effective package.

About Micrel, Inc.: Micrel Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of IC solutions for the worldwide analog, Ethernet and high bandwidth markets. The Company's products include advanced mixed-signal, analog and power semiconductors; high performance communication, clock management, Ethernet switch and physical layer transceiver ICs. Company customers include leading manufacturers of enterprise, consumer, industrial, mobile, telecommunications, automotive, and computer products. Corporation headquarters and state-of-the-art wafer fabrication facilities located in San Jose, CA with regional sales and support offices and advanced technology design centers situated throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition, the Company maintains an extensive network of distributors and reps worldwide.





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