A method of manufacturing MEMS microphone packages , comprising: Providing a frame having a plurality of ports , the frame includes portions that form a plurality of lids; mounting of MEMS microphone dies on the frame to form a first portion of the MEMS microphone package by attaching a first side of the MEMS microphone dies to the top surface of the frame, wherein the MEMS microphone dies span the respective port , the MEMS microphone dies having die landing pads disposed on a second side of the MEMS microphone dies opposite the first side; providing interconnects on the die landing pads , wherein first ends of the interconnects are attached to the die landing pads , and wherein the interconnects extend away from the die landing pads ; attaching a control chip to a first side of a substrate and electrically connecting the control chip to a first landing pad disposed at the first side of the substrate , the substrate further comprising a second landing pad disposed at the first side of the substrate and an interconnect structure disposed in a body of the substrate and electrically coupled to the second landing pad , wherein a conductive connector is applied to the second landing pad ; affixing the first portion over the substrate , wherein the affixing forms an interior cavity between the lids and the substrate that is bounded by sidewalls having a molding compound, and wherein the affixing causes a second end of the interconnects , opposite the first end of the interconnects , to be attached to the second landing pads and affixed by the conductive connector ; performing a singulation process to form the MEMS microphone packages; and for each singulated MEMS microphone package, forming an external contact pad and a trace on an exposed surface (509a2) of the sidewalls having the molding compound, wherein a first end of the trace is coupled to the external contact pad and a second end of the trace is coupled to the interconnect structure . Providing a frame having a plurality of ports , the frame includes portions that form a plurality of lids; mounting of MEMS microphone dies on the frame to form a first portion of the MEMS microphone package by attaching a first side of the MEMS microphone dies to the top surface of the frame, wherein the MEMS microphone dies span the respective port , the MEMS microphone dies having die landing pads disposed on a second side of the MEMS microphone dies opposite the first side; providing interconnects on the die landing pads , wherein first ends of the interconnects are attached to the die landing pads , and wherein the interconnects extend away from the die landing pads ; attaching a control chip to a first side of a substrate and electrically connecting the control chip to a first landing pad disposed at the first side of the substrate , the substrate further comprising a second landing pad disposed at the first side of the substrate and an interconnect structure disposed in a body of the substrate and electrically coupled to the second landing pad , wherein a conductive connector is applied to the second landing pad ; affixing the first portion over the substrate , wherein the affixing forms an interior cavity between the lids and the substrate that is bounded by sidewalls having a molding compound, and wherein the affixing causes a second end of the interconnects , opposite the first end of the interconnects , to be attached to the second landing pads and affixed by the conductive connector ; performing a singulation process to form the MEMS microphone packages; and for each singulated MEMS microphone package, forming an external contact pad and a trace on an exposed surface (509a2) of the sidewalls having the molding compound, wherein a first end of the trace is coupled to the external contact pad and a second end of the trace is coupled to the interconnect structure . <EOS>