Atheros’ XSPAN Dual-Band Solutions Selected for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ 802.11n Draft 2.0 Test Suite

With Wi-Fi Alliance’s Coming Certification of Wireless Products, N is Now

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 16, 2007 — Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR), a leading developer of advanced wireless solutions, today announced that two of its 802.11n draft 2.0-compliant solutions have been selected by the Wi-Fi Alliance for inclusion in its newly announced Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program. Atheros’ XSPAN® with Signal-Sustain Technology™ (SST) 802.11n Dual-Concurrent 2.4/5GHz Router and its Dual-Band 2.4/5GHz CardBus Adapter are included in the Wi-Fi Alliance test bed. These solutions are based on the same XSPAN technology implemented by Atheros’ customers since the launch of the company’s first 802.11n products in 2006, increasing assurance of Wi-Fi certification for XSPAN-based end products.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program was developed by the industry alliance to help ensure baseline performance and interoperability among end products. To achieve certification, devices must demonstrate interoperability with reference products selected for the test bed. The Wi-Fi Alliance’s decision to certify end-user products based upon the current 802.11n draft 2.0 specification in advance of the IEEE’s final ratification signals the stability of the draft and creates a significant transition for the industry. In addition, the Wi-Fi Alliance certification program gives end users greater confidence to purchase 802.11n products now.

“Having actively driven the development of the 802.11n specification since 2003, Atheros is very pleased that the industry is now ensuring cross-vendor product performance and interoperability through certification,” said Todd Antes, vice president of marketing for Atheros. “By removing barriers which may have previously discouraged purchase of 802.11n products, 11n is no longer next, it’s Now.”

“The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 testing program is a significant milestone for the Wi-Fi industry and marks the maturity of draft-based products,” said Frank Hanzlik, managing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “Certification will help deliver the user experience needed to increase the adoption of 802.11n products.”        

Launched in January 2006, Atheros’ XSPAN products have already achieved broad market adoption by customers worldwide – including AsusTek, Belkin, Corega, D-Link, I-O Data, Lenovo, Linksys, NEC, NEC-AT, Siemens, SMC, TRENDnet, ZyXEL and others yet to be announced.

The IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 specification is designed to provide significantly increased bandwidth of up to 600Mbps, compared to legacy WLAN standards that offer 54Mbps data rates. Atheros’ XSPAN products featured in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED testing program deliver the full potential of the 802.11n draft 2.0 specification by providing operation in both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands, ensuring the ultimate end-user experience.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 end products are expected to be on the market during the second half of 2007. For more details on the Wi-Fi Alliance program announced today, please view their press release entitled, Wi-Fi Alliance Reveals New Logo and Announces First Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ 802.11n draft 2.0 Products and Test Suite at www.wi-fi.org.

About Atheros Communications, Inc.

Atheros Communications is a leading developer of semiconductor system solutions for wireless and other network communications products. Atheros combines its wireless and networking systems expertise with high-performance radio frequency (RF), mixed signal and digital semiconductor design skills to provide highly integrated chipsets that are manufactured on low-cost, standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Atheros technology is being used by a broad base of leading customers, including personal computer, networking equipment and consumer device manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.atheros.com or send email to info@atheros.com.

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Atheros, the Atheros logo, XSPAN and Signal-Sustain Technology are trademarks of Atheros Communications, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the sole property of their respective owners.

NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding the features, performance, competitiveness and benefits of the 802.11n draft specification and Atheros’ XSPAN products, and the expected availability of Wi-Fi Certified 802.11n Draft 2.0 end products in mid-2007, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, difficulties in development and manufacture of new products and upgraded products; unforeseen problems in the performance of new and enhanced products upon broad deployment; general economic conditions, the effects of competition and technological change, and other risks detailed in Atheros' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other reports filed with the SEC by Atheros from time to time. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Atheros disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.