MIPS Technologies Teams with Accent to Offer SOC Design Services and Application Platforms for MIPS-BasedT Solutions

NUREMBERG, Germany, Embedded Systems 2002, Feb. 20, 2002 MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIPS, MIPSB) and Accent S.r.l., a joint venture between STMicroelectronics and Cadence Design Systems, Inc., today announced an agreement targeted at reducing the challenges of system-on-chip (SOC) design, lowering product development cost and speeding time to market for customers of MIPS Technologies' industry-standard 32- and 64-bit processor cores. Under terms of the agreement, Accent will offer a full range of SOC design services and develop application platform solutions for customers using the MIPS32T 4KcT and MIPS64T 5KcT cores. Accent joins seven other companies that, over the past year, have become authorized design services firms providing SOC and system design expertise utilizing MIPS-based technologies.

Accent, a leading European design services firm, with more than 100 design engineers, has expertise in wired and wireless telecommunications, industrial controls, multimedia and home automation and automotive infotainment applications. In addition to offering a full range of SOC design services, Accent will develop a variety of application platform solutions, such as a multimedia processor for GSM (global system for mobile) communication and GPRS (general packet radio services). GPRS, which is based on GSM communication, is a packet-based wireless communication service. It promises high data rates and continuous Internet connection, which will allow mobile users to access multimedia Web sites and participate in video conferencing.

"Today's increasingly complex SOC designs, particularly in telecommunications and multimedia, when coupled with rapidly evolving silicon technology, have created a compelling need for design outsourcing and for the application platform solutions we provide. Accent will help MIPS Technologies customers get the most out of their processor cores and deliver their products to market faster," said Massimo Vanzi, general manager of Accent. "By leveraging high-performance MIPS Technologies cores and our proven design expertise, we will give our mutual customers the best solutions for their wireless and multimedia applications."

"Accent is one of the largest electronic design centers in Europe, with world-class service, quality and design expertise that will help maximize value to our customers on a global basis by enabling them to realize significant productivity and time-to-market benefits with their SOC designs," said Kevin Meyer, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies.

About Accent
Accent is a joint venture incorporated in 1993 between STMicroelectronics (51%), a global leader in the design and manufacture of semiconductors, and Cadence Design Systems (49%), a world leader in software and services for electronic design. Accent is a leading provider of electronic design services and platform-level intellectual property (IP) in the field of multimedia applications and low-power general computing. Accent's offerings include System on Chip Design, Silicon Implementation, Analog and Mixed Signal Design, and IP Reuse services. Additional information is available at http://www.accent.it

About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and network 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 MIPS64T, 5KcT, MIPS32, 4Kc and MIPS-based are trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

Lee Garvin Flanagin
MIPS Technologies, Inc.
+1 (650) 567-5180
flanagin@mips.com


Salvatore Orlando
Accent S.r.l.
39 039 629011
salvatore.orlando@accent.it