ALPS Electric Produced a Total of 500,000 Units for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Tuners and Tuner Units with Demodulators.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ALPS SHOW 2004

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2004

RF Components for Terrestrial Digital

Broadcasting Business Taking Off

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. (Pink Sheet:APELY) had produced as of February 29, 2004 a total of 500,000 units in the TDE series of front-end units and TDH series of terrestrial digital broadcasting tuners, which incorporate demodulators in the tuner component, in a variety of specifications for the demodulation methods used in Japan, the U.S. and Europe.

The TDE series and the TDH series, for which production topped half a million units by February 29, 2004, are front-end units and tuner units for digital terrestrial broadcasting with demodulators compatible with standards in Japan, the U.S. and Europe and features that allow set manufacturers to simplify design. The TDH series is the most compact in its class in the industry, and was among the first tuners released when digital terrestrial broadcasting started in December 2003 in Japan.

Digital terrestrial television broadcasting is proliferating rapidly worldwide. In Europe, eight countries are broadcasting digital television terrestrially. In the U.S., digital terrestrial broadcasting is being introduced in stages, with plans to make 13" and larger televisions compatible with digital terrestrial broadcasting by 2007. In Japan, digital terrestrial broadcasting began in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in December 2003, and is scheduled to cover the entire nation by 2006. Plans call for halting analog broadcasting in 2011 in Japan.

In addition, Japan is one step ahead of the world in the spreading popularity of digital broadcasting, with digital tuners increasingly integrated into digital TVs and DVD recorders, two of the three main types of digital products entering a period of growth. A diverse variety of applications for digital tuners is likely to emerge, including for automobiles and cellular phones, to complement viewing television broadcasts within the home.

Products for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting to Automobiles and

Cellular Phones on Display at ALPS SHOW 2004

ALPS is developing radio frequency (RF) products for digital terrestrial broadcasting for cellular phones and automobiles, which is expected to gain popularity in Japan ahead of the rest of the world.

Our reception tuners for automobiles currently under development employ diversity technology to secure stable output of high-definition broadcasting signals by receiving constantly changing radio waves with several antennas. Our antennas are installed in car cabins for better reception. We are also developing products for cellular phones that respond to demands for compact, thin bodies and low energy consumption compatible with the bandwidth segment for mobile broadcasts(1). We plan to display the TDE series and TDH series at the ALPS SHOW 2004, which is to be held in the Hiten room at the New Takanawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo for three days from May 26.

Note 1: Bandwidth segment for mobile broadcasts: Digital terrestrial broadcasting allocates 6MHz of frequency spectrum per channel, and each 6MHz bandwidth is divided into 13 parts called segments. One benefit of digital broadcasting is that each of these segments can be used separately. Broadcasting for mobile applications is to use one of these segments.

Outline of ALPS Electric Co., Ltd.

Since its establishment in 1948 ALPS has grown as a comprehensive manufacturer of electronic components. At present ALPS is creating innovative high-value-added products in its main business segments -- Components, Magnetic Devices, Communications, Peripheral Products, and Automotive Electronics -- which are contributing to the advance of a digital society.

ALPS is a global company that carries out its operations with 23 production bases in 8 countries as well as 60 sales bases in 13 countries. Consolidated net sales in the year ended March 31, 2003 amounted to 601,816 million yen.