Actel Expands DSP IP Portfolio with New CompanionCores from 4i2i Communications, Ltd.

Viterbi, Reed-Solomon and JPEG IP Cores Optimized for Actel's ProASIC^PLUS, Axcelerator, SX-A and RTSX-S FPGAs

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 28, 2003 - Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced that the latest partner to join its CompanionCore Alliance program, 4i2i Communications, Ltd., has optimized its Viterbi and Reed-Solomon encoder and decoder intellectual property (IP) cores for use with Actel's nonvolatile, single-chip ProASIC^PLUS, Axcelerator, SX-A and RTSX-S field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Furthermore, 4i2i has also optimized its JPEG encoders and decoders for Actel's high-performance Axcelerator device family. With the extension of Actel's digital signal processing (DSP) IP offerings, customers have access to a breadth of cost-effective, parameterizable FPGA-based building blocks to accelerate the design and development of existing and future DSP, multimedia and error correction applications.

"The addition of 4i2i to our CompanionCore Alliance program provides system designers with ready access to 4i2i's silicon- and production-proven Viterbi, Reed-Solomon and JPEG encoder and decoder cores as optimized building blocks for our successful ProASIC^PLUS, Axcelerator, SX-A and RTSX-S FPGAs," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director, Applications and IP Solutions Group at Actel. "4i2i's cost-effective DSP IP cores are a strong complement to Actel's nonvolatile flash- and antifuse-based FPGAs, enhancing designer productivity and reducing time to market for our mutual customers requiring forward error correction or multimedia functionality."

"More and more, customers are requesting DSP IP blocks with user-configurable settings optimized for FPGAs for use in a variety of markets. Participation in Actel's CompanionCore Alliance program allows us to deliver exceptional DSP capabilities to Actel's growing customer base," said Martyn Riley, CEO of 4i2i Communications, Ltd. "Specifically, customers in the communications, consumer, industrial, military and aerospace industries will now be able to leverage Actel's low-power, highly reliable FPGAs with our innovative DSP IP in their designs."

New Cores for Actel FPGAs

Consisting of a convolutional encoder and Viterbi decoder, the Viterbi IP core supports error correction for both burst mode and continuous data input. The core offers user-configurable parameters, including selectable code rates and interface widths, optional pseudo-BER calculation and in-phase detection.

The Reed-Solomon encoder and decoder IP cores offer full-duplex encoding and decoding. The cores are also compatible with a variety of international telecommunication standards, including CCSDS, DECT, ADSL and xDSL. Offering full ISO 10918 standard compatibility, the JPEG encoder and decoder cores provide baseline JPEG compression capabilities, including up to 4080x4080 image resolution support and processing of up to 30 CIF frames per second.

Pricing and Availability

The Viterbi, Reed-Solomon and JPEG cores are available as encoder-only, decoder-only and encoder and decoder configurations. Licenses for the Viterbi, Reed-Solomon and JPEG encoder and decoder cores optimized for Actel's FPGAs are available now from 4i2i in either synthesizable RTL or Actel-targeted netlist formats. Prices for the licenses start at $2,500 for a single-use netlist license. For more information on these IP cores, please visit 4i2i at http://www.4i2i.com or Actel at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/multimedia.html.

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, the cores offered include bus interfaces, communication controllers and interfaces, processors and peripherals, encryption, memory controllers as well as multimedia and error correction.

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 4i2i Communications, Ltd.

4i2i Communications Ltd is a leading supplier of semiconductor IP cores and software for video-coding, error correction coding and broadband modems. Founded in 1995, 4i2i's operations are located in Aberdeen, Scotland and San Jose, California. Telephone: +44 1224 712844 (UK) or 408 467 5088 (US). Internet: http://www.4i2i.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 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.

# # #

Editor's Note: The Actel name and logo are registered trademarks of Actel Corporation. All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.