Actel, Synplicity and Model Technology to Deliver Complete CD-ROM FPGA Design Solution.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 1998--

Marketing Agreement Offers FPGA Design ULTRAPACK; Takes Designer

from Synthesis to Full Design Simulation

Actel Corporation (NASDAQ:ACTL) today announced a marketing agreement with Synplicity, Inc. and Model Technology Incorporated to distribute FPGA (field programmable gate array) Design ULTRAPACK, a comprehensive FPGA design solution.

ULTRAPACK, a 30-day trial period CD-ROM, takes designers from synthesis to full design simulation, simplifying the development of HDL-based FPGA designs for programmable logical devices. The package is comprised of Actel's Designer Lite place-and-route software tool, Synplicity's Synplify synthesis design tools and Model Technology's ModelSim(TM) simulation tools.

"ULTRAPACK provides FPGA designers with full-featured, industry leading synthesis and simulation tools at no cost," said Bruce Weyer, director of product marketing, Actel Corporation. "Combining these tools provides the ease of HDL-based FPGA design methodology, simulation, synthesis and design layout on one CD-ROM."

Key Components

ULTRAPACK includes design components from Actel, Synplicity and Model Technology. Actel provides its Designer Lite series software, a package of free FPGA design tools supporting Actel's A40MX, A42MX, 3200DX, 1200XL, ACT3, ACT2 and ACT1 families.

Synplicity adds Synplify 3.0c1, a synthesis tool that accepts industry-standard Verilog and VHDL description, delivers enhanced timing-driven synthesis with clock-speed specification, resource sharing, TCL scripting capability and output of VHDL, HDL Analyst and Verilog gate-level netlists.

Also included is Model Technology's ModelSim 4.7 VHDL simulator, a powerful and flexible simulation environment that enables designers to successfully design and debug high-performance FPGAs as well as high-density ASICs. In addition, ULTRAPACK contains Actel's VHDL and Verilog libraries and tutorial.

"By including Synplicity's Synplify in ULTRAPACK, we continue to demonstrate why our synthesis solution is quickly becoming the industry favorite," said Joe Gianelli, channel marketing director, Synplicity. "This powerful combination provides designers with an introduction to the best-of-breed tools in one integrated design package."

"Model Technology is excited to have ModelSim included on the ULTRAPACK CD-ROM," said Dave Kresta, marketing manager, Model Technology. "With this offering, designers will be provided with a full HDL design solution for cutting edge FPGA designs, and will be able to experience the high performance and ease of use that has made ModelSim the ideal simulator for FPGA designers."

Availability and Pricing

The free FPGA Design ULTRAPACK evaluation CD will first be available at the Design Automation Conference (DAC) June 15-19, 1998 from all three vendors. ULTRAPACK will also be available via Actel's Web site at www.actel.com.

Actel's Designer Lite can also be obtained anytime at no cost on the company's web site. After the expiration of the free, 30-day ULTRAPACK CD, fully licensed versions of MTI's ModelSim PE can be obtained for $4,495 and the trial version of Synplify can be upgraded for as little as $5,000. To inquire about a ModelSim PE or Synplify purchase, please contact MTI or Synplicity, respectively.

About Synplicity

Founded in 1994, Synplicity, Inc. delivers the benefits of logic synthesis to programmable device designers by developing fast, easy to use, affordable tools, that produce better quality results.

Synplicity products support industry-standard design languages (VHDL and Verilog), run on popular computer platforms (Windows '95, Windows NT and UNIX), and support leading manufacturers, including Actel, Altera, Cypress, Lattice Semiconductor, Lucent Technologies, QuickLogic, Vantis (AMD), and Xilinx.

About Model Technology Incorporated

Model Technology Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mentor Graphics Corporation, is the industry's leading supplier of HDL simulation tools. Model Technology provides ASIC and FPGA designers with the latest in simulation technology regardless of the language (VHDL, Verilog or mixed-HDL) or platform (Unix, PC) used.

With more than 20,000 licensed units sold worldwide, ModelSim is the most popular HDL simulator in the industry. Model Technology is headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., with 28 sales and distribution offices in the United States, Europe, Japan, and the Pacific Rim.

For information on the nearest Model Technology representative or Model Technology products, call 503/641-1340, email [e-mail], or visit www.model.com.

About Actel

Actel is dedicated to providing logic designers with the capability and confidence to successfully move up to higher complexity designs. The company is the world's leading supplier of antifuse-based field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and associated software development tools.

FPGAs are used by designers of communications, computer, medical, military/aerospace, industrial control, and other electronic systems to differentiate their products and get them to market faster. Actel is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol ACTL and is located at 955 East Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086-4533. Telephone: [phone]. Internet: http://www.actel.com.

Note to Editors: The Actel name and logo are registered trademarks of the Actel Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Actel Corporation

Bruce Weyer (reader contact) or

Clive Jones (media contact), 408/790-1010

[e-mail]

http://www.actel.com

or

Walt & Company

Kristin Jones/Erica DeRuyte, 408/496-0900

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