$21 Million second round launches Ample Communications; revenue shipments underway

Ample Communications Inc., a manufacturer of frame processing silicon solutions for high-speed networks, announced it has secured $21 million in its second round of funding in addition to its initial round of $17 million received in September 2000. The company's frame processing solutions integrate several functions onto a single, merchant silicon chip to speed time to market for network system vendors.

CenterPoint Ventures and Rho Ventures led Ample's second round of funding. First round investors InterWest Partners, Storm Ventures and the company founders also participated in the second round. Proceeds from Ample's first round of $17 million, received in September 2000, fueled the company's initial development and sampling of its first silicon chipsets earlier this year.

Ample's Nighthawk 10-Gigabit multi-protocol frame processor and Skyhawk 10-Gigabit Ethernet frame processor devices are incorporated into several commercial communications systems scheduled for delivery by the end of the year.

The company's frame processing technology incorporates multiple functions into a single, merchant silicon device. Functions such as physical layer, framing, mapping and data link logic traditionally have been delivered as separate components, requiring significant space and consuming extra power ? both precious commodities on a network line card. Ample's single chip solutions simplify the design process and increase value to system vendors by a minimum factor of 4X in critical areas such as: a 4X increase in line speed and port density, and a 4X reduction in power consumption and footprint.

"Carriers are under pressure to minimize CAPEX and OPEX," says Ample president and chief executive officer, Vish Akella, "and it starts with the silicon."

Ample's founding team includes Akella, Ravinder "Ravi" Sajwan, chief technical officer, and Sanjay Sharma, chief strategy officer. The three co-founders worked together at Acclaim Communications, which they founded and later sold to Level One Communications, and subsequently to Intel Corp.

Ample has established and continually seeks out partnerships with system vendors who are creating compelling technologies to meet the needs of their common customer: carriers and large enterprises.

For more about Ample Communications Inc. (Fremont, CA), visit the company website at www.amplecomm.com