Altera Qualifies ASE's Lead-Free Packages; Both Companies Demonstrate Leadership in Package Technologies to Meet Industry's Needs for Lead-Free Solutions in Electronics Manufacturing.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2003

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Incorporated (TAIEX:2311)(NYSE:ASX), one of the world's largest semiconductor packaging and testing companies, announced that Altera Corporation (Nasdaq:ALTR) has qualified several lead-free packages at ASE that includes TQFP, LQFP, PQFP, LBGA (Altera's Fineline BGA(R) packaging), and PLCC(1).

These packages are available in Altera's lead-free packaging portfolio, which includes the Stratix(TM), Stratix GX, Cyclone(TM), and MAX(R) 3000A device families.

"Both Altera and ASE's research and development teams successfully collaborated to achieve this milestone which enables us to offer our customers a wide array of lead-free packaging solutions for FPGAs and CPLDs(2)," said Vincent Wang, vice president of package technology at Altera.

For more information about Stratix, Stratix GX, Cyclone, and MAX 3000A device families, please visit www.altera.com/products/devices/dev-index.jsp.

"ASE's advancements in lead-free chip packaging aim to meet the stringent requirements of global environmental protection by eliminating the use of lead in the manufacturing of electronic products," said B.C. Chong, vice president of business development at ASE Electronics Malaysia. "We continue to work closely with customers to develop environmental-friendly chip packages that meet their precise package reliability for next generation ICs."

The qualified lead-free packages are available at ASE's leading edge facilities in Penang, Malaysia and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. For a list of ASE's lead-free portfolio, please visit www.aseglobal.com or contact your nearest ASE sales office.

About ASE Group

The ASE Group is one of the world's largest providers of semiconductor manufacturing services. As a global leader geared towards meeting the industry's ever growing needs for faster, smaller and higher performance chips, the Group develops and offers a wide portfolio of technology and solutions including IC test program design, front-end engineering test, wafer probe, wafer bump, substrate design and supply, wafer level package, flip chip, system-in-package, final test and electronic manufacturing services through Universal Scientific Industrial Co Ltd, a member of the ASE Group. The Group generated sales revenues of $2.17 billion in 2001 and employs 23,000 people worldwide. For more information about the ASE Group, visit www.aseglobal.com.

(1) TQFP (Thin Quad Flat Pack), LQFP (Low profile QFP), PQFP (Plastic QFP), LBGA (Low profile BGA), PLCC (Plastic Leadless Chip Carrier).

(2) FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device)

Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, the stylized Altera logo, specific device designations, and all other words that are identified as trademarks and/or service marks are, unless noted otherwise, the trademarks and service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective holder.