Hot-Swap Capabilities of Actel's SX-A FPGAs Win the Day at UTStarcom in Shenzhen, China

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced that UTStarcom, a leading global supplier of IP access networking solutions and international service and support, has selected Actel's antifuse-based SX-A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as a controller on the CPU control board of UTStarcom's market-leading mSwitch and 3G products. Matching the performance of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and the ability to generate system-wide savings by integrating multiple functions into a low-cost, single-chip solution, Actel's SX-A device provides UTStarcom with a flexible combination of high speed and low price, decreasing the premium for performance, while providing a solution highly secure from reverse engineering.

"Actel's SX-A FPGA opens the door for our next-generation designs that we could not previously implement in programmable logic," said Brian Chen, senior hardware engineer and project leader at UTStarcom in Shenzhen, China. "The capabilities and performance allow us to get the mSwitch platform to market faster, more securely and at a lower cost."

Actel's A54SX72A is an integral part of UTStarcom's mSwitch platform, which is a cost-effective, flexible and highly scalable network solution. Combining centralized data management with distributed processing over a unified IP-based infrastructure, the mSwitch network consists of three key elements: Multi-Protocol Media Gateway, Softswitch Server Complex, and Web- based Operations and Support Systems (OSS). Incorporating a set of gateway functions, the mSwitch allows operators to implement a network migration strategy that meets their network requirements. Like all UTStarcom solutions, mSwitch enables service operators to migrate from legacy systems to next- generation solutions seamlessly without service disruptions, while simultaneously reducing operation and investment costs.

"We rigorously assessed a number of FPGA solutions, from the top FPGA vendors, and we chose the SX-A from Actel because of its robust hot-swap specification and the high-level of customer support available to us in Shenzhen," continued Chen. "In order to keep the down-time of the mSwitch to a minimum, it's essential that we can insert and remove the CPU board from the system during maintenance and upgrades without turning off the power. The CorePCI IP delivers this option and is highly secure and customizable and can be tightly integrated with the other logic on the board."

UTStarcom designs, manufactures, sells and installs an integrated suite of future-ready access network and next-generation switching solutions. The company enables wireless and wireline operators in fast-growth markets worldwide to offer voice, data and Internet access services rapidly and cost- effectively by utilizing existing infrastructure.

UTStarcom's products are currently being deployed by more than 800 of the 2,400 local telecom bureaus in China, with over 50 million wireline and wireless lines installed. UTStarcom operates from more than 20 locations in China, from Beijing to Nanjing and Shanghai to Zhengzhou.

Actel's CorePCI connects I/O, memory and processor subsystem resources to the main system via the PCI bus. CorePCI is intended for use with a wide variety of peripherals where high-performance data transactions are required. The interconnections within SX-A FPGAs are extremely small and densely distributed throughout the device, and do not leave an observable signature that can be electrically probed or visually inspected. With these safeguards, Actel's SX-A devices are practically immune to copying and reverse engineering.

About UTStarcom, Inc.

UTStarcom is a leading global supplier of IP access networking solutions and international service and support. The company sells its wireline, wireless, optical and switching solutions to operators in both fast growth and established telecommunications markets around the world. UTStarcom enables its customers to rapidly deploy revenue-generating access services using their existing infrastructure, while providing a migration path to cost-efficient end-to-end IP networks. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Alameda, California, the company has research and design operations in New Jersey, China, and India. UTStarcom is a FORTUNE 1000 company. For more information about UTStarcom, visit the company's Web site at www.utstar.com.

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 more than 500 people worldwide. With offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul, Actel operates through an extensive distributor network across China and in other key locations in Asia. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL.

NOTE: The Actel name and logo are trademarks of Actel Corporation. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.