BBN Corporation joins MCC; international networking pioneer considering participation in several projects.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 1996--BBN Corporation, a leading provider of internetworking services and solutions, has become the newest member of the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC).

As an Associate member of the research and development consortium, BBN will participate in technology studies and a number of MCC research projects.

"MCC's spirit of cooperative research will enhance BBN's ability to provide leading-edge, cost-effective technology to its diverse government and commercial customers," says David N. Campbell, president, BBN Systems & Technologies. "BBN welcomes the opportunity to work with MCC's growing number of prestigious companies, which includes AT&T, Lockheed Martin Corporation, National Security Agency, Texas Instruments, and TRW."

"BBN has been a pioneer in making the kind of technological advances in computer networking that have made the Internet possible," says John W. McRary, MCC chairman and CEO. "MCC is proud to have BBN join us in developing and deploying network computing technologies for the 21st century."

BBN Corporation (NYSE:BBN) of Cambridge, Mass. is a leading provider of Internet service and internetworking solutions to businesses and organizations. BBN is composed of two business units: BBN Planet, which provides managed Internet access and value-added services, and BBN Systems & Technologies, which designs and builds secure, reliable networks for internetworking technologies and services, including advanced networking technologies for next-generation internetworked solutions for government and commercial organizations.

BBN designed and implemented ARPANET, the predecessor of the Internet, and pioneered technological innovations such as packet switching, the first computer modem, email, and TCP/IP communications protocols. For more information about BBN, visit the World Wide Web site at http://www.bbn.com.

Since 1983, MCC has been one of the nation's leading technology research and development consortia. MCC provides consortial R&D services, mapping precompetitive technology in advanced electronics and information technology to requirements for its members' global business operations. MCC provides a rich environment for multidisciplinary research and development, technology sourcing, and technology integration with a pervasive commitment to accelerating the creation, commercialization, and adoption of innovation in information technologies and advanced electronics.

More information about MCC is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.mcc.com. -0-

Fact Sheet

Mission Statement

MCC provides consortial research and development services, mapping precompetitive technology in advanced electronics and information technology to members' requirements for seamless global business operations.

What is MCC?

The Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp. (MCC) is a privately owned research and development consortium that operates under the auspices of the National Cooperative Research Act (NCRA). MCC is funded by its member companies and competitively awarded government contracts.

MCC was founded in 1982 by 10 major computer and semiconductor companies as a unique approach to cooperative research. Since then, research consortia have become an accepted tool for U.S. companies seeking to speed time-to-market and leverage scarce R&D resources. Today's competitive, global marketplace make R&D consortia more important than ever, giving participating companies an effective tool for extending resources.

MCC's R&D Strategy

MCC's original mission focused its R&D efforts on long-range, high-risk technology development. Changing business conditions faced by its member companies now require MCC's technical capabilities to also encompass technology supplier sourcing and technology integration. At the same time, MCC continues to be a leader in developing technology in areas where enduring challenges or technology gaps exist.

Information Technology Projects

Three new information technology projects were launched at MCC during 1996. They join the InfoSleuth project to make a comprehensive information technology R&D program.

- Object Infrastructure Project (OIP) seeks to develop and

demonstrate an integrated set of services required to support

advanced, distributed, object-oriented applications. This resulting

object infrastructure will be based on a combination of object

standards, commercially available technology, emerging research

results, and targeted research performed within the project.

- Intuitive Interfaces to Information Systems (I3S) is working to

develop and deploy software tools supporting human language

interactions with information systems. The term "intuitive

interfaces" refers to user interfaces that support the kind of

speech-driven interactions present in human-to-human conversations.

I3S is leveraging speech recognition tools under development at

Carnegie Mellon University.

- Quality Enabling Software Technologies (Quest) is aimed at

improving the quality of large-scale software applications and

reducing the time and cost associated with developing software.

Quest in particular addresses the technology gap in automated

testing tools that can be used throughout the software development

cycle. Testing technologies to be addressed include static flow

analysis, dynamic analysis, test adequacy metrics, and test

result checking.

- InfoSleuth is based on the MCC-developed Carnot technology, which

was successfully used to integrate heterogeneous information

resources. Carnot developed semantic modeling techniques to enable

description of information resources and pioneered the use of

agents to provide interoperation among autonomous systems.

InfoSleuth is investigating the use of Carnot technologies in a

dynamic environment--such as the Internet--where there is no

formal control of the registration of new information sources.

InfoSleuth will deploy semantic agents that will carry out

coordinated searches and cooperate with each other to merge the

retrieved data into understandable information.

Packaging and Interconnect Projects

MCC's Packaging and Interconnect projects are organized into several consortial programs focused on three end-product application areas.

- The Low Cost Portables program concentrates on the assessment and

risk management of emerging low-cost, high-density electronics

packaging technologies for products such as cellular phones,

notebook computers, personal digital assistants, camcorders, and

pagers. Feasibility studies establish the practicality of emerging

manufacturing technologies through evaluation of test vehicles.

Technologies investigated include adhesive based systems

(flip chip and surface mount), solder-compatible systems, flexible

interconnect, and array packaging.

- The High Reliability Mobile Electronics program is identifying and

evaluating optimal packaging technologies for applications such as

avionics, space, and telecommunications where size, weight, and

reliability are primary concerns. Through technology trade-off

studies, technology development, and test vehicle builds

subcontracted to leading suppliers, the program is developing

solutions in the following key areas: area-array interconnect;

advanced materials for cooling; mixed assembly technology

processes; and reworkable and non-reworkable chip on board.

- The Workstations and Multiprocessors is providing advanced

interconnect technology solutions for products such as

workstations, servers, communications and network switches,

parallel processing systems, and specialized signal processors,

where cost-effective performance is a primary consideration.

Projects are being conducted in the following key areas: high

bandwidth data links (electrical and optoelectronic); chip-to-chip

signal integrity in high clock-rate, board-level systems; reliable

board-level solutions for high I/O ball grid array packages; and

connectors for high I/O ball grid array packages.

Government Initiatives

MCC is also leading a number of government-funded, technology infrastructure initiatives, with more than 90 systems and components companies participating as subcontractors and suppliers.

- Environmental Programs - Mixed Signal Open Systems Consortium - Known Good Die - Wafer Level Test and Burn-In - Flexible MCM Manufacturing - Display Technology Assessment

Key Executives John W. McRary, Chairman, CEO, and President Erik G. Mettala, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer George J. Roberts, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Albert E. Wargo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development Barry Leiner, Vice President, West Coast Labs

Headquarters 3500 W. Balcones Center Drive Austin, Texas 78759-5398 512/343-0978 Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] World Wide Web: http://www.mcc.com

CONTACT: GTT Communications, Austin

Joyce Graham, 512/347-1016