Ottawa, Canada, April 17, 2008 -- Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (NYSE/TSX:ZL) today announced that its ZL70101 transceiver chip won the RF/Microwave Ultimate Product of the Year at EE Times' fourth Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards Gala in San Jose on April 15th, 2008 (http://www.eetimes-ace.com/).

Delivering high data rates, ultra-low power consumption and unique wake-up circuitry, the ZL70101 system-on-a-chip has been designed into a range of implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), neurostimulators, drug pumps and physiological monitors, and associated external monitoring and programming equipment.

"We're honored that Zarlink's ultra-low power wireless technology has been selected as an Ultimate Product of the Year," said Steve Swift, senior vice president and general manager of Zarlink's Medical Communications group. "The ZL70101 is a fully integrated system-on-a-chip solution delivering unparalleled data rates while consuming the lowest power possible, backed by Zarlink's field-proven expertise in meeting the unique quality requirements for in-body devices. Our radio chip is enabling new medical devices supporting advanced monitoring, diagnostic and therapeutic applications that are improving patient care and lowering healthcare costs."

The EE Times ACE Awards celebrate the creators of technology who have demonstrated leadership and innovation. The Ultimate Products of the Year Award - awarded to the most significant products introduced in the last 12 months in seven categories - is determined by large-scale peer review. Finalists in each category are chosen by qualified readers of EE Times and eeProductCenter.com on a quarterly basis via electronic balloting from a list of nominees submitted to readers by expert editors with accompanying editorial reviews. A blue-ribbon panel of industry experts, comprised of the leading voices of academia, industry and Wall Street executives, choose the winners.

"The ACE Awards recognize products and innovations that make a positive contribution for customers and end-users," said Junko Yoshida, editor-in-chief, EE Times. "Zarlink's radio chip for in-body communications represents creative technology that solves key performance challenges in a growing market, while also demonstrating how electronics play an increasingly important role in our day-to-day lives."

Operating in the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) frequency band, the highly integrated ZL70101 chip delivers data rates up to 800 kbps while consuming just 5 milliamps (mA) of power. By using the high data rate with heavy duty cycling, the average power consumed can be very small. To further conserve implanted device battery life, the ZL70101 incorporates a unique "wake-up" receiver that allows the chip to operate in an extremely low current 250 nanoamp (nA) "sleep" mode. Communication is then initiated using a specially coded wake-up signal from the base station transmitter.

The ZL70101 chip includes a fully featured media access controller (MAC), designed specifically for MICS applications, that provides forward error correction, cyclic redundancy check and retransmission to achieve an extremely reliable data link. For more information on Zarlink's ZL70101 transceiver chip, visit: http://products.zarlink.com/product_profiles/ZL70101.htm.

About Zarlink Semiconductor

For over 30 years, Zarlink Semiconductor has delivered semiconductor solutions that drive the capabilities of voice, enterprise, broadband and wireless communications. The Company's success is built on its technology strengths including voice and data networks, optoelectronics and ultra low-power communications. For more information, visit http://www.zarlink.com/.

Shareholders and other individuals wishing to receive, free of charge, copies of the reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Regulatory Authorities, should visit the Company's web site at http://www.zarlink.com/ or contact Investor Relations.

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the following: our dependence on the successful development and market introduction of new products; our ability to successfully integrate Legerity and any businesses acquired in the future; our reliance on key personnel; any potential undisclosed liabilities associated with the Legerity acquisition; the potential adverse effect on critical reference design partners who may object to the Legerity acquisition; our ability to continue to operate profitably and generate positive cash flows in the future; our dependence on our foundry suppliers and third-party subcontractors; order cancellations and deferrals by our customers; and other factors referenced in our Annual Report on Form 20-F. Investors are encouraged to consider the risks detailed in this filing.

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Zarlink and the Zarlink Semiconductor logo are trademarks of Zarlink Semiconductor Inc.

For further information:

Ed Goffin
Media Relations
613 270-7112
edward.goffin@zarlink.com

Mike McGinn
Investor Relations
613 270-7210
mike.mcginn@zarlink.com