Actel Introduces New Utopia IP Cores for ProASICPLUS and Axcelerator Devices

Communications Designers Benefit from Utopia IP Solutions and FPGAs at Low Price Points

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 14, 2003 - Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced the addition of three intellectual property (IP) building blocks that have been optimized for use with the company's reprogrammable, flash-based ProASICPLUS and high-speed, antifuse-based Axcelerator field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Developed, verified and supported by Actel, the new UTOPIA CoreU1LL, CoreU1PHY and CoreU2PHY DirectCores are targeted at asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communication system developers for their next-generation ATM local area network (LAN) and ATM over SONET/SDH applications, as well as virtual private networks (VPN), frame-relay backbones and residential broadband networks.

"Many ATM system designers today are using Actel's low-cost ProASICPLUS and high-speed Axcelerator FPGAs because they offer maximum design security and help the system developer quickly enter the market," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director, IP solutions, Actel Corporation. "The combination of our FPGAs with the new UTOPIA IP cores gives communications designers ready access to low-cost building blocks for well-defined, standard functions, while providing the ability to uniquely customize a portion of the device for their application."

New IP Cores for Actel FPGAs
The CoreU1LL link-layer (master) interface and CoreU1PHY physical-layer (slave) interface cores conform to the ATM Forum's UTOPIA Level 1 specification (version 2.01) and support 8-bit operation at 25 MHz. Both include separate transmit and receive clocks and interface pins that can be used individually or combined to form a complete UTOPIA transceiver. Utilization for the CoreU1LL and CoreU1PHY is less than 10 percent of the company's smallest ProASICPLUS and Axcelerator devices, leaving FPGA area for multiple CoreU1 cores or additional user logic.

The CoreU2PHY core conforms to the ATM Forum's UTOPIA Level 2 specification (version 1.0) and supports 16-bit operation at 50 MHz. As with the CoreU1LL and the CoreU1PHY, the CoreU2PHY includes separate transmit and receive clocks and interface pins. Additionally, CoreU2PHY supports one MPHY address in single-PHY mode or up to 32 MPHY addresses in multiple-PHY mode.

Pricing and Availability
All cores are available today in netlist and RTL formats and can be purchased directly from Actel. Free evaluation versions are also available from the company. Data sheets for each core can be downloaded from the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/comm.html. List prices for a single-use netlist license start at $2,000.

Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions
Actel offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores, specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. The company also offers third-party IP blocks, called CompanionCores, that have been tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Covering applications ranging from embedded systems to consumer and communications, functions include DSP, PCI, communication interfaces, encryption and multimedia as well as microprocessors and peripherals.

Actel DirectCores and CompanionCore products offer seamless implementation through Actel's suite of internal and third-party EDA development tools, documentation, and quality service and support, thereby streamlining the design process, enabling faster time-to-market and minimizing design costs and risks. For more information on the CompanionCore Alliance program, DirectCores or CompanionCores, visit the IP section on the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/index.html.

About Actel
Actel Corporation is a supplier of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools and design services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs approximately 500 people worldwide. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL and is headquartered at 955 East Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94086-4533. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com.

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