MIPS Technologies’ Low-Power Core Delivers the Performance Needed for Thrane & Thrane Satellite Mobile Phone

SOC-it™ System Controller Optimizes Performance of MIPS32™ 4KEm™ Processor Core To Give Remote Users High-Speed Internet Access and Mobile Multimedia

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 1, 2002 -- MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIPS, MIPSB), a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications, today announced it has licensed its MIPS32™ 4KEm™ processor core and new SOC-it™ system controller to Thrane & Thrane, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of terminals for global mobile satellite communications.

Thrane & Thrane chose the MIPS® solution after a competitive analysis of other IP cores. All featured the low power consumption required for a mobile application but not the requisite performance. The company needed performance of at least 200 Dhrystone MIPS. The highly configurable MIPS32 4KEm core and SOC-it system controller achieved 230 DMIPS.

“Mobile terminals for the next-generation Inmarsat broadband network have challenging design requirements. We chose MIPS Technologies’ system-level solution over other IP processor options because it gives us the flexibility to exceed our performance goals while meeting the low power requirements demanded by mobile terminals,” said Carsten Fallesen, ASIC project manager at Thrane & Thrane.  “In addition, as a synthesizable solution, it helps us keep costs down by giving us the flexibility to create an optimized platform relatively quickly and choose the silicon foundry process that best meets our needs.”

Thrane & Thrane, a leading supplier of high-speed user terminals for the Inmarsat global satellite system, chose MIPS Technologies’ system-level solution to meet the demanding power and performance requirements of the new services enabled by the next-generation Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (B-GAN). Scheduled for launch in 2004, the B-GAN is intended to be compatible with the UMTS protocol for 3G mobile phones. It will deliver standard voice as well as high-speed packet services at up to 432 kilobits/second, which will provide Internet access, mobile multimedia and other advanced applications to remote, land-based mobile users such as those in international aid organizations, government, the media, and the oil and gas industry. Thrane & Thrane received $15 million from Inmarsat to partly fund development of the terminals, as well as a user terminal core module that will be marketed to third-party manufacturers.

“Users anywhere in the world will soon have an enhanced experience with high-quality, high-value broadband communications, and we are pleased that Thrane & Thrane chose the MIPS architecture to power this performance-driven wireless application,” said Kevin Meyer, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies. “In choosing the 4KEm core, Thrane & Thrane recognized that MIPS Technologies has a superior solution for low-power, high-performance wireless applications.”

About Thrane & Thrane
Thrane & Thrane is one of the world's leading manufacturers of terminals and land earth stations for global mobile satellite communication. Since its incorporation in 1981, the company has established a strong position within equipment for global mobile satellite services based on the Inmarsat system, and today it provides equipment for land-based, maritime and aeronautical use. Thrane & Thrane distributes, markets and supports its products globally through more than 100 distributors. Information about Thrane & Thrane can be found at www.tt.dk.

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, 4KEm™ and SOC-it™ are trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.