Conexant and Lineo Develop Embedded Linux Support for Home Network Processors.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2002

Embedded Linux-Based Board Support Package Increases Development

Opportunities for Broadband Peripheral Manufacturers

Conexant Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor system solutions for communications applications and Lineo(R), Inc., a leading innovator of embedded software solutions and host development environments, today announced embedded Linux support for the Conexant CX821xx home network processor line.

Conexant's embedded Linux board support package (BSP) is designed to lower software development costs for product designs utilizing CX821xx processors. Additionally, time-to-market will be reduced for networking peripherals such as Ethernet and asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) routers, bridges and home gateways.

The connected home market, consisting of home networking equipment and software, residential gateways and home control and automation products, will grow from $1.4 billion in 2001 to $9.2 billion worldwide by 2006, according to Cahners In-Stat Group. "As more small, non-PC devices become a part of the home network, the ability to provide support for embedded operating systems such as Linux is crucial," said Michael Wolf, director at Cahners In-Stat Group. "This partnership between Conexant and Lineo is a great example of this irreversible trend towards pervasive home networks."

"Conexant is a leading provider of cutting-edge communications semiconductors and an ideal partner for Lineo's embedded Linux solutions. The combination will help realize the full power and functionality of the Conexant home network processor and drive future development of innovative home network products," said Matthew Harris, Lineo's chief executive officer. "This development platform will increase opportunities for specialized broadband home networking products and drive product deployment efforts."

"Providing an open source development platform with our home network processor enables our customers to create products that expand home networking capabilities," said Chee Kwan, vice president of broadband products for Conexant's Broadband Communications Division. "Advanced upper-layer features such as firewall, virtual private network (VPN), remote management, and voice-over-packet will now be more readily available to those developers who are looking for ways to reduce their development costs while increasing their feature set."

About the CX821xx

Conexant's CX821xx home network processor is a single-chip, high-performance, ARM940T-based processor integrated with multiple network interface hardware functions and packaged in a 196-pin ChipArray(TM) ball grid array (CABGA). This 158 MIPs processor supports firmware functions to implement a wide variety of complete networking system solutions for small business, small office home office and consumer networking applications.

About Conexant

Conexant Systems, Inc. is a worldwide leader in semiconductor system solutions for communications applications. Conexant leverages its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products through three separate businesses that address the wireless communications, broadband access and Internet infrastructure markets.

Conexant's wireless communications business is focused on providing power amplifiers, radio-frequency subsystems and complete systems solutions. The broadband access business develops and delivers integrated solutions that enable digital entertainment and information networks for the home and small office. Mindspeed Technologies, the company's Internet infrastructure business, designs, develops and sells a complete portfolio of semiconductor networking solutions that facilitate the aggregation, transmission and switching of data, video and voice from the edge of the Internet to linked metropolitan area networks and long-haul networks.

Conexant, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., delivered revenues of $1.1 billion for fiscal 2001, and has approximately 6,900 employees worldwide. The company is a member of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 indices. To learn more, visit us at www.conexant.com or www.mindspeed.com.

About Lineo Inc.

Lineo(R) provides embedded systems and real-time solutions that cover the full spectrum of embedded development, including operating system software, host development environments and professional services. Lineo distributes vertical solutions (Smart Handheld, Residential Gateway, Digital Media/TV) that allow OEMs to create smart embedded devices and systems while helping OEMs to reduce system requirements, per-unit costs and time-to-market.

Lineo's key product lines include: Embedix(R) SDK (a fully featured and integrated embedded developer tool chain), Embedix(R) (embedded Linux system software for MMU-less and MMU-full processors), Embedix BridgeWorks(TM) (operating systems and tools for multiprocessor device support and legacy code migration) and RTXC(TM) Quadros(TM) (a highly configurable microprocessor and DSP real-time operating system). Contact Lineo at http://www.lineo.com, via e-mail to [e-mail] or by calling 801/426-5001.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements relating to future results of Conexant (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: global economic and market conditions, such as the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions; the availability and extent of utilization of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; fluctuations in manufacturing yields; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the successful planned disposition of certain assets; the successful separation of the company's broadband access and Internet infrastructure businesses; the successful merger of the company's wireless communications business with Alpha Industries, Inc.; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; labor relations of the company, its customers and suppliers; and the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the security and safety risks of our employees and of company facilities and those risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Note to Editors: Conexant and Mindspeed are trademarks of Conexant Systems, Inc. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners.