EZchip Issues Statement Following Cisco's NPU Announcement, Says Believes Cisco Intends NP-5 Use

EZchip Semiconductor Ltd.

, a leader in Ethernet network processors, is issuing the following clarifications relating to the Cisco announcement of September 12, 2013 on the unveiling of its new nPower X1 network processor: o To the best of EZchip's knowledge Cisco intends to use EZchip's NP-5 in all key platforms that use the NP-4 today, and Cisco has not yet made a decision on any NPU beyond NP-5 in those platforms. o EZchip believes that when its NPS-400 samples it will be the industry's most advanced NPU with:                          1. the highest integration and the greatest power efficiency;                          2. the most advanced traffic manager;                          3. scalability to support the greatest number of flows and subscribers; and                          4. support of Layers 4-7 with the highest performing L4-7 accelerators. o Cisco has always had in-house NPUs that are used in various Cisco platforms.  To EZchip's best knowledge, Cisco's latest announcement is in line with such past practice. EZchip is also making the following clarifications relating to speculations that ZTE is displacing EZchip's NPUs with NPUs from other vendors: o ZTE has many platforms and EZchip's NPUs are used in some platforms while other vendors' NPUs are used in others. o The EZchip NP-3 and NP-4 platforms at ZTE are secure and to the best of EZchip's knowledge ZTE intends to use NP-5 as a follow on in these platforms. o The NP-5 is also in consideration for other platforms as are other NPUs from other vendors. o EZchip continues to ship NP-5 samples to ZTE and there has not been any backing away by ZTE.