MIPS Technologies Licenses 32-Bit Processor Cores to Metalink for Next-Generation Broadband Access Solutions

Utilization of CorExtend™ Capability Improves Performance for Faster Code Execution

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- April 9, 2003 - MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIPS, MIPSB), a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications, announced today that Metalink has taken a license for the MIPS32™ M4K™ core and the MIPS32 4KEc™ core with CorExtend capabilities. By incorporating these powerful 32-bit cores into its broadband applications, Metalink builds on its portfolio of innovative MIPS-based™ products by continuing to offer cost-effective solutions for the dynamic and challenging telecommunications market worldwide.

Metalink will use the M4K and 4KEc cores, as it has done with the 4Km™ core, in combination with its universal software programming interfaces. This unified architecture, called the Olympus-DSL™ platform, supports multiple industry standards including VDSL, SHDSL, HDSL2, HDSL4, SDSL, and HDSL. Customers, who have already adopted Metalink's Olympus-DSL platform, are top-tier worldwide vendors.

"We evaluated several RISC cores, considering the core performance and capabilities necessary for our application, and found MIPS' cores most suitable for our requirements," said David Pereg, vice president of engineering at Metalink. "Having the option to define our own instructions with the CorExtend capabilities in the 4KEc core gives us a significant performance advantage, allowing us to minimize the required memory space and enable faster execution."

"Metalink has been developing a compelling line of MIPS-based networking products for several years. By applying their intimate knowledge of the broadband access market and exploiting the capabilities of the CorExtend technology, they can add functions that boost performance and optimize their application in ways that aren't possible with other industry-standard cores," said Jack Browne, vice president of worldwide sales at MIPS Technologies. "We look forward to their continued worldwide leadership and innovation in the networking space."

About the MIPS32 M4K core
Featuring a typical clock speed over 300 MHz, yet minimum power consumption of only 0.10 mW/MHz and core size as small as 0.3 mm2 in 0.13-micron processes, the MIPS32 M4K core gives designers more performance and greater flexibility to achieve higher system throughput while controlling silicon cost. The flexibility and re-programmability enables upgrades in software as protocol specifications or market requirements evolve. Other features include bit field instructions for easier handling of packet information, support for vectored interrupts to decrease interrupt latency, and multiple register sets for faster context switching.

About the MIPS32 4KE core family
The 4KE family not only offers 1.35 Dhrystone MIPS/MHz, but with the CorExtend capabilities it also provides configurable features that increase performance while reducing die size and power consumption and, ultimately, total system cost. Features such as 128 kilobytes of cache and a coprocessor interface allow users to easily configure a 4KE core to maximize performance in their system-on-chip (SoC) applications. MIPS16e™ code compression can reduce memory requirements by up to 40 percent, and extensive clock gating significantly reduces power consumption.

About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products. The company is based in Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at +1 (650) 567-5000 or www.mips.com.

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MIPS is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, and MIPS32, MIPS16e, 4Km, 4KEc, M4K, CorExtend, and MIPS-based are trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Olympus-DSL is a trademark of Metalink, Ltd. All other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.