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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2


                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT


                                 BY AND BETWEEN


                             CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.


                                   AS ISSUER,


                                       AND


                        MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED




                            AS THE INITIAL PURCHASER


                          DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 2000

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         THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of
February 1, 2000 by and among Conexant Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "COMPANY"), and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement, dated January 28, 2000 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), between the
Company and the Initial Purchaser. In order to induce the Initial Purchaser to
enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide the
registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement
is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

         The Company agrees with the Initial Purchaser, (i) for its benefit as
Initial Purchaser and (ii) for the benefit of the beneficial owners (including
the Initial Purchaser) from time to time of the Notes (as defined herein) and
the beneficial owners from time to time of the Underlying Common Stock (as
defined herein) issued upon conversion of the Notes (each of the foregoing a
"HOLDER" and together the "HOLDERS"), as follows:

         SECTION 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein without
definition shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Purchase
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:

               AFFILIATE: With respect to any specified person, an "affiliate",
as defined in Rule 144, of such person.

               AMENDMENT EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE DATE: See Section 2(d) hereof.

               APPLICABLE CONVERSION PRICE: The Applicable Conversion Price as
of any date of determination means the Conversion Price in effect as of such
date of determination or, if no Notes are then outstanding, the Conversion Price
that would be in effect were Notes then outstanding.

               BUSINESS DAY: Each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

               COMMON STOCK: The shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share, of the Company and any other shares of common stock as may constitute
"Common Stock" for purposes of the Indenture, including the Underlying Common
Stock.

               CONVERSION PRICE: Conversion Price shall have the meaning
assigned such term in the Indenture.

               DAMAGES ACCRUAL PERIOD: See Section 2(e) hereof.

               DAMAGES PAYMENT DATE: Each interest payment date under the
Indenture in the case of Notes, and each February 1 and August 1 in the case of
the Underlying Common Stock.

               DEFERRAL NOTICE: See Section 3(i) hereof.

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               DEFERRAL PERIOD: See Section 3(i) hereof.

               EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE DATE: See Section 2(a) hereof.

               EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD: The period of two years from the later of
(a) the Issue Date (b) the last date of original issuance of the Notes, or such
shorter period ending on the date that all Registrable Securities have ceased to
be Registrable Securities.

               EVENT: See Section 2(e) hereof.

               EVENT DATE: See Section 2(e) hereof.

               EVENT TERMINATION DATE: See Section 2(e) hereof.

               EXCHANGE ACT: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

               FILING DEADLINE DATE: See Section 2(a) hereof.

               HOLDER: See the second paragraph of this Agreement.

               INDENTURE: The Indenture, dated as February 1, 2000, between the
Company and Bank One Trust Company, National Association, as trustee, pursuant
to which the Notes are being issued.

               INITIAL PURCHASER: Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

               INITIAL SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT: See Section 2(a) hereof.

               ISSUE DATE: February 2, 2000.

               LIQUIDATED DAMAGES AMOUNT: See Section 2(e) hereof.

               LOSSES: See Section 6 hereof.

               MATERIAL EVENT: See Section 3(i) hereof.

               NOTES: The 4% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2007 of the
Company to be purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

               NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE: A written notice delivered to the
Company containing substantially the information called for by the Selling
Securityholder Notice and Questionnaire attached as Annex A to the Offering
Memorandum of the Company issued January 28, 2000 relating to the Notes.


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               NOTICE HOLDER: On any date, any Holder that has delivered a
Notice and Questionnaire to the Company on or prior to such date.

               PURCHASE AGREEMENT: See the preamble hereof.

               PROSPECTUS: The prospectus included in any Registration Statement
(including, without limitation, a prospectus that discloses information
previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration
statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as
amended or supplemented by any amendment or prospectus supplement, including
post-effective amendments, and all materials incorporated by reference or
explicitly deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

               RECORD HOLDER: (i) With respect to any Damages Payment Date
relating to any Notes as to which any such Liquidated Damages Amount has
accrued, the holder of record of such Note on the record date with respect to
the interest payment date under the Indenture on which such Damages Payment Date
shall occur and (ii) with respect to any Damages Payment Date relating to the
Underlying Common Stock as to which any such Liquidated Damages Amount has
accrued, the registered holder of such Underlying Common Stock fifteen (15) days
prior to such Damages Payment Date.

               REGISTRABLE SECURITIES: The Notes until such Notes have been
converted into or exchanged for the Underlying Common Stock and, at all times
subsequent to any such conversion or exchange the Underlying Common Stock and
any securities into or for which such Underlying Common Stock has been converted
or exchanged, and any security issued with respect thereto upon any stock
dividend, split or similar event until, in the case of any such security, (A)
the earliest of (i) its effective registration under the Securities Act and
resale in accordance with the Registration Statement covering it, (ii)
expiration of the holding period that would be applicable thereto under Rule
144(k) were it not held by an Affiliate of the Company or (iii) its sale to the
public pursuant to Rule 144, and (B) as a result of the event or circumstance
described in any of the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii), the legend with
respect to transfer restrictions required under the Indenture are removed or
removable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture or such legend, as the
case may be.

               REGISTRATION EXPENSES: See Section 5 hereof.

               REGISTRATION STATEMENT: Any registration statement of the Company
that covers any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such
registration statement, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits, and
all materials incorporated by reference or explicitly deemed to be incorporated
by reference in such registration statement.

               RESTRICTED SECURITIES: As this term is defined in Rule 144.

               RULE 144: Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be
amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted
by the SEC.


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               RULE 144A: Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such Rule may
be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the SEC.

               SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission.


               SECURITIES ACT: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.

               SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT: See Section 2(a) hereof.

               SUBSEQUENT SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT: See Section 2(b) hereof.

               TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

               TRUSTEE: Bank One Trust Company, National Association, the
Trustee under the Indenture.

               UNDERLYING COMMON STOCK: The Common Stock into which the Notes
are convertible or issued upon any such conversion.

         SECTION 2. Shelf Registration.

               (a) The Company shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared
and filed with the SEC, as soon as practicable but in any event by the date (the
"FILING DEADLINE DATE") ninety (90) days after the Issue Date, a Registration
Statement for an offering to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant
to Rule 415 of the Securities Act (a "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT") registering
the resale from time to time by Holders thereof of all of the Registrable
Securities (the "INITIAL SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT"). The Initial Shelf
Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 or another appropriate form
permitting registration of such Registrable Securities for resale by such
Holders in accordance with the methods of distribution elected by the Holders
and set forth in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement. The Company shall use
its reasonable efforts to cause the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to be
declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is practicable but in
any event by the date (the "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE DATE") that is one hundred
eighty (180) days after the Issue Date, and to keep the Initial Shelf
Registration Statement (or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement)
continuously effective under the Securities Act until the expiration of the
Effectiveness Period. At the time the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is
declared effective, each Holder that became a Notice Holder on or prior to the
date ten (10) Business Days prior to such time of effectiveness shall be named
as a selling securityholder in the Initial Shelf Registration Statement and the
related Prospectus in such a manner as to permit such Holder to deliver such
Prospectus to purchasers of Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable
law. None of the Company's security holders (other than the Holders of
Registrable Securities) shall have the right to include any of the Company's
securities in the Shelf Registration Statement.


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               (b) If the Initial Shelf Registration Statement or any Subsequent
Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective for any reason at any time
during the Effectiveness Period (other than because all Registrable Securities
registered thereunder shall have been resold pursuant thereto or shall have
otherwise ceased to be Registrable Securities), the Company shall use its
reasonable efforts to obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the
effectiveness thereof, and in any event shall within thirty (30) days of such
cessation of effectiveness amend the Shelf Registration Statement in a manner
reasonably expected to obtain the withdrawal of the order suspending the
effectiveness thereof, or file an additional Shelf Registration Statement
covering all of the securities that as of the date of such filing are
Registrable Securities (a "SUBSEQUENT SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT"). If a
Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company shall use
reasonable efforts to cause the Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement to
become effective as promptly as is practicable after such filing and to keep
such Registration Statement (or subsequent Shelf Registration Statement)
continuously effective until the end of the Effectiveness Period.

               (c) The Company shall supplement and amend the Shelf Registration
Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to
the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement,
if required by the Securities Act or as reasonably requested by the Initial
Purchaser or by the Trustee on behalf of the registered Holders.

          (d) Each Holder of Registrable Securities agrees that if such
Holder wishes to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration
Statement and related Prospectus, it will do so only in accordance with this
Section 2(d) and Section 3(i). Each Holder of Registrable Securities wishing to
sell Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement and
related Prospectus agrees to deliver a Notice and Questionnaire to the Company
at least three (3) Business Days prior to any intended distribution of
Registrable Securities under the Shelf Registration Statement. From and after
the date the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable after the date a Notice and
Questionnaire is delivered, and in any event upon the later of (x) five (5)
Business Days after such date or (y) five (5) Business Days after the expiration
of any Deferral Period in effect when the Notice and Questionnaire is delivered
or put into effect within five (5) Business Days of such delivery date, (i) if
required by applicable law, file with the SEC a post-effective amendment to the
Shelf Registration Statement or prepare and, if required by applicable law, file
a supplement to the related Prospectus or a supplement or amendment to any
document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document
so that the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire is named as a
selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement and the related
Prospectus in such a manner as to permit such Holder to deliver such Prospectus
to purchasers of the Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable law
and, if the Company shall file a post-effective amendment to the Shelf
Registration Statement, use reasonable efforts to cause such post-effective
amendment to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is
practicable, but in any event by the date (the "AMENDMENT EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE
DATE") that is forty-five (45) days after the date such post-effective amendment
is required by this clause to be filed; (ii) provide such Holder copies of any
documents filed pursuant to Section 2(d)(i); and (iii) notify such Holder as
promptly as practicable after the effectiveness under the Securities Act of any
post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Section 2(d)(i); provided, that if
such Notice and Questionnaire is delivered during a Deferral Period,


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the Company shall so inform the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire
and shall take the actions set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above upon
expiration of the Deferral Period in accordance with Section 3(i).
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, (i) the Company shall
be under no obligation to name any Holder that is not a Notice Holder as a
selling securityholder in any Registration Statement or related Prospectus and
(ii) the Amendment Effectiveness Deadline Date shall be extended by up to ten
(10) Business Days from the expiration of a Deferral Period (and the Company
shall incur no obligation to pay Liquidated Damages during such extension) if
such Deferral Period shall be in effect on the Amendment Effectiveness Deadline
Date.

               (e) The parties hereto agree that the Holders of Registrable
Securities will suffer damages, and that it would not be feasible to ascertain
the extent of such damages with precision, if (i) the Initial Shelf Registration
Statement has not been filed on or prior to the Filing Deadline Date, (ii) the
Initial Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared effective under the
Securities Act on or prior to the Effectiveness Deadline Date, (iii) the Company
has failed to perform its obligations set forth in Section 2(d) within the time
period required therein, (iv) the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any
period exceeds the number of days permitted in respect of such period pursuant
to Section 3(i) hereof or (v) the number of Deferral Periods in any period
exceeds the number permitted in respect of such period pursuant to Section 3(i)
hereof (each of the events of a type described in any of the foregoing clauses
(i) through (v) are individually referred to herein as an "EVENT," and the
Filing Deadline Date in the case of clause (i), the Effectiveness Deadline Date
in the case of clause (ii), the date by which the Company is required to perform
its obligations set forth in Section 2(d) in the case of clause (iii) (including
the filing of any post-effective amendment prior to the Amendment Effectiveness
Deadline Date), the date on which the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in
any period exceeds the number of days permitted by Section 3(i) hereof in the
case of clause (iv), and the date of the commencement of a Deferral Period that
causes the limit on the number of Deferral Periods in any period under Section
3(i) hereof to be exceeded in the case of clause (v), being referred to herein
as an "EVENT DATE"). Events shall be deemed to continue until the "EVENT
TERMINATION DATE," which shall be the following dates with respect to the
respective types of Events: the date the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is
filed in the case of an Event of the type described in clause (i), the date the
Initial Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities
Act in the case of an Event of the type described in clause (ii), the date the
Company performs its obligations set forth in Section 2(d) in the case of an
Event of the type described in clause (iii) (including, without limitation, the
date the relevant post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement
is declared effective under the Securities Act), termination of the Deferral
Period that caused the limit on the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in a
period set forth in Section 3(i) to be exceeded in the case of the commencement
of an Event of the type described in clause (iv), and termination of the
Deferral Period the commencement of which caused the number of Deferral Periods
in a period permitted by Section 3(i) to be exceeded in the case of an Event of
the type described in clause (v).

               Accordingly, commencing on (and including) any Event Date and
ending on (but excluding) the next date on which there are no Events that have
occurred and are continuing (a "DAMAGES ACCRUAL PERIOD"), the Company agrees to
pay, as liquidated damages and not as a


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penalty, an amount (the "LIQUIDATED DAMAGES AMOUNT"), payable on the Damages
Payment Dates to Record Holders of Notes that are Registrable Securities and of
shares of Underlying Common Stock issued upon conversion of Notes that are
Registrable Securities, as the case may be, accruing, for each portion of such
Damages Accrual Period beginning on and including a Damages Payment Date (or, in
respect of the first time that the Liquidated Damages Amount is to be paid to
Holders on a Damages Payment Date as a result of the occurrence of any
particular Event, from the Event Date) and ending on but excluding the first to
occur of (A) the date of the end of the Damages Accrual Period or (B) the next
Damages Payment Date, at a rate per annum equal to one-half of one percent (0.5
%) of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes or, in the case of Notes that
have been converted into or exchanged for Underlying Common Stock, the
Applicable Conversion Price of such shares of Underlying Common Stock, as the
case may be, in each case determined as of the Business Day immediately
preceding the next Damages Payment Date; provided, that in the case of a Damages
Accrual Period that is in effect solely as a result of an Event of the type
described in clause (iii) of the immediately preceding paragraph, such
Liquidated Damages Amount shall be paid only to the Holders that have delivered
Notice and Questionnaires that caused the Company to incur the obligations set
forth in Section 2(d) the non-performance of which is the basis of such Event,
provided further, that any Liquidated Damages Amount accrued with respect to any
Note or portion thereof called for redemption on a redemption date or converted
into Underlying Common Stock on a conversion date prior to the Damages Payment
Date, shall, in any such event, be paid instead to the Holder who submitted such
Note or portion thereof for redemption or conversion on the applicable
redemption date or conversion date, as the case may be, on such date (or
promptly following the conversion date, in the case of conversion).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Liquidated Damages Amounts shall accrue as to
any Registrable Security from and after the earlier of (x) the date such
security is no longer a Registrable Security and (y) expiration of the
Effectiveness Period. The rate of accrual of the Liquidated Damages Amount with
respect to any period shall not exceed the rate provided for in this paragraph
notwithstanding the occurrence of multiple concurrent Events. Following the cure
of all Events requiring the payment by the Company of Liquidated Damages Amounts
to the Holders of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section, the accrual
of Liquidated Damages Amounts will cease (without in any way limiting the effect
of any subsequent Event requiring the payment of Liquidated Damages Amount by
the Company).

               The Trustee shall be entitled, on behalf of Holders of Notes or
Underlying Common Stock, to seek any available remedy for the enforcement of
this Agreement, including for the payment of any Liquidated Damages Amount.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties agree that the sole damages payable
for a violation of the terms of this Agreement with respect to which liquidated
damages are expressly provided shall be such liquidated damages. Nothing shall
preclude a Notice Holder or Holder of Registrable Securities from pursuing or
obtaining specific performance or other equitable relief with respect to this
Agreement.

               All of the Company's obligations set forth in this Section 2(e)
that are outstanding with respect to any Registrable Security at the time such
security ceases to be a Registrable Security shall survive until such time as
all such obligations with respect to such security have been satisfied in full
(notwithstanding termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8(k)).


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               The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages provided for
in this Section 2(e) constitute a reasonable estimate of the damages that may be
incurred by Holders of Registrable Securities by reason of the failure of the
Shelf Registration Statement to be filed or declared effective or available for
effecting resales of Registrable Securities in accordance with the provisions
hereof.

         SECTION 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the registration
obligations of the Company under Section 2 hereof, the Company shall:

               (a) Before filing any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto with the SEC, furnish to counsel to the
Initial Purchaser copies of all such documents proposed to be filed and use
reasonable efforts to reflect in each such document when so filed with the SEC
such comments as counsel to the Initial Purchaser reasonably shall propose
within five (5) Business Days of the delivery of such copies to the Initial
Purchaser.

               (b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to
keep such Registration Statement continuously effective for the applicable
period specified in Section 2(a); cause the related Prospectus to be
supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be
filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the
Securities Act; and use its reasonable best efforts to comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act applicable to it with respect to the
disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the
Effectiveness Period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by
the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or
such Prospectus as so supplemented.

               (c) As promptly as practicable give notice to counsel to the
Notice Holders and the Initial Purchaser (i) when any Prospectus, Prospectus
supplement, Registration Statement or post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement has been filed with the SEC and, with respect to a Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has been declared
effective, (ii) of any request, following the effectiveness of the Initial Shelf
Registration Statement under the Securities Act, by the SEC or any other federal
or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to any
Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for additional information,
(iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental
authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration
Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for that purpose,
(iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the occurrence of (but
not the nature of or details concerning) a Material Event and (vi) of the
determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement will be filed with the SEC, which notice may, at the discretion of the
Company (or as required pursuant to Section 3 (i)), state that it constitutes a
Deferral Notice, in which event the provisions of Section 3(i) shall apply.

               (d) Use reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order
suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the lifting of any
suspension of the qualification (or


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exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction in which they have been qualified for sale, in either case at
the earliest possible moment.

               (e) If reasonably requested by the Initial Purchaser or any
Notice Holder, as promptly as practicable incorporate in a Prospectus supplement
or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement such information as the
Initial Purchaser or such Notice Holder shall, on the basis of a written opinion
of nationally-recognized counsel experienced in such matters, determine to be
required to be included therein by applicable law and make any required filings
of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment.

               (f) As promptly as practicable furnish to each Notice Holder and
the Initial Purchaser, without charge, at least one (1) conformed copy of the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, including financial statements
but excluding schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference and all exhibits (unless requested in writing to the
Company by such Notice Holder or the Initial Purchaser, as the case may be).

               (g) During the Effectiveness Period, deliver to each Notice
Holder in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or
Prospectuses relating to such Registrable Securities (including each preliminary
prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Notice Holder may
reasonably request; and the Company hereby consents (except during such periods
that a Deferral Notice is outstanding and has not been revoked) to the use of
such Prospectus or each amendment or supplement thereto by each Notice Holder in
connection with any offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by
such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in the manner set forth
therein.

               (h) Prior to any public offering of the Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, register or qualify or cooperate
with the Notice Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or
exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable
Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions within the United States as any Notice Holder reasonably requests
in writing (which request may be included in the Notice and Questionnaire);
prior to any public offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement, keep each such registration or qualification (or
exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period in connection
with such Notice Holder's offer and sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to
such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) and do any and all
other acts or things reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the disposition
in such jurisdictions of such Registrable Securities in the manner set forth in
the relevant Registration Statement and the related Prospectus; provided, that
the Company will not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be
required to qualify but for this Agreement or (ii) take any action that would
subject it to general service of process in suits or to taxation in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

               (i) Upon (A) the issuance by the SEC of a stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of
proceedings with respect to the


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Shelf Registration Statement under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act,
(B) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any fact (a "MATERIAL
EVENT") as a result of which any Registration Statement shall contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
any Prospectus shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or (C) the occurrence or existence of any pending
corporate development that, in the reasonable discretion of the Company, makes
it appropriate to suspend the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement
and the related Prospectus, (i) in the case of clause (B) above, subject to the
next sentence, as promptly as practicable prepare and file, if necessary
pursuant to applicable law, a post-effective amendment to such Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated
therein by reference or file any other required document that would be
incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement and Prospectus so
that such Registration Statement does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and such Prospectus
does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable
Securities being sold thereunder, and, in the case of a post-effective amendment
to a Registration Statement, subject to the next sentence, use its reasonable
efforts to cause it to be declared effective as promptly as is practicable, and
(ii) give notice to the Notice Holders that the availability of the Shelf
Registration Statement is suspended (a "DEFERRAL NOTICE") and, upon receipt of
any Deferral Notice, each Notice Holder agrees not to sell any Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement until such Notice Holder's
receipt of copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus provided for in
clause (i) above, or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the
Prospectus may be used, and has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference
in such Prospectus. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that
the use of the Prospectus may be resumed (x) in the case of clause (A) above, as
promptly as is practicable, (y) in the case of clause (B) above, as soon as, in
the sole judgment of the Company, public disclosure of such Material Event would
not be prejudicial to or contrary to the interests of the Company or, if
necessary to avoid unreasonable burden or expense, as soon as practicable
thereafter and (z) in the case of clause (C) above, as soon as, in the
discretion of the Company, such suspension is no longer appropriate. The Company
shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3(i) to suspend the
availability of the Shelf Registration Statement or any Prospectus, without
incurring or accruing any obligation to pay liquidated damages pursuant to
Section 2(e), no more than one (1) time in any three month period or four (4)
times in any twelve month period, and any such period during which the
availability of the Registration Statement and any Prospectus is suspended (the
"DEFERRAL PERIOD") shall, without incurring any obligation to pay liquidated
damages pursuant to Section 2(e), not exceed 30 days; provided, that in the case
of a Material Event relating to an acquisition or a probable acquisition or
financing, recapitalization, business combination or other similar transaction,
the Company may, without incurring any obligation to pay liquidated damages
pursuant to Section 2(e), deliver to Notice Holders a second notice to the
effect set forth above, which shall have the effect of extending the Deferral
Period by up to an additional 30 days, or


                                      -10-
<PAGE>   12

such shorter period of time as is specified in such second notice, provided,
that the aggregate duration of any Deferral Periods shall not, without incurring
any obligation to pay liquidated damages pursuant to Section 2(e), exceed 60
days in any three month period or 90 days in any twelve (12) month period.

               (j) If requested in writing in connection with a disposition of
Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, make reasonably
available for inspection during normal business hours by a representative for
the Notice Holders of such Registrable Securities and any broker-dealers,
attorneys and accountants retained by such Notice Holders, all relevant
financial and other records and pertinent corporate documents and properties of
the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the appropriate officers, directors
and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to make reasonably available
for inspection during normal business hours on reasonable notice all relevant
information reasonably requested by such representative for the Notice Holders
or any such broker-dealers, attorneys or accountants in connection with such
disposition, in each case as is customary for similar "due diligence"
examinations; provided, however, that such persons shall first agree in writing
with the Company that any information that is reasonably and in good faith
designated by the Company in writing as confidential at the time of delivery of
such information shall be kept confidential by such persons and shall be used
solely for the purposes of exercising rights under this Agreement, unless (i)
disclosure of such information is required by court or administrative order or
is necessary to respond to inquiries of regulatory authorities, (ii) disclosure
of such information is required by law (including any disclosure requirements
pursuant to federal securities laws in connection with the filing of any
Registration Statement or the use of any Prospectus referred to in this
Agreement), (iii) such information becomes generally available to the public
other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard by any such
person or (iv) such information becomes available to any such person from a
source other than the Company and such source is not bound by a confidentiality
agreement, and provided, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering
shall, to the greatest extent possible, be coordinated on behalf of all the
Notice Holders and the other parties entitled thereto by the counsel referred to
in Section 5 and provided further, that the Company shall not be required to
disclose any information subject to the attorney-client or attorney work product
privilege if and to the extent such disclosure would constitute a waiver of such
privilege.

               (k) Use all reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable
rules and regulations of the SEC and make generally available to its
securityholders earning statements (which need not be audited) satisfying the
provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or
any similar rule promulgated under the Securities Act) no later than 45 days
after the end of any 3-month period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month
period if such period is a fiscal year) commencing on the first day of the first
fiscal quarter of the Company commencing after the effective date of a
Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said periods.

               (l) Cooperate with each Notice Holder to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities
sold or to be sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates
shall not bear any restrictive legends, and cause such Registrable Securities to
be in such denominations as are permitted by the Indenture and registered


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   13

in such names as such Notice Holder may request in writing at least two (2)
Business Days prior to any sale of such Registrable Securities.

               (m) Provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities covered
by each Registration Statement not later than the effective date of such
Registration Statement and provide the Trustee and the transfer agent for the
Common Stock with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities that are
in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.

               (n) Provide such information as is required for any filings
required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

               (o) Upon (i) the filing of the Initial Registration Statement and
(ii) the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, announce the same,
in each case by release to Reuters Economic Services and Bloomberg Business
News.

         SECTION 4. Holder's Obligations. Each Holder agrees, by acquisition of
the Registrable Securities, that no Holder of Registrable Securities shall be
entitled to sell any of such Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration
Statement or to receive a Prospectus relating thereto, unless such Holder has
furnished the Company with a Notice and Questionnaire as required pursuant to
Section 2(d) hereof (including the information required to be included in such
Notice and Questionnaire) and the information set forth in the next sentence.
Each Notice Holder agrees promptly to furnish to the Company all information
required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished
to the Company by such Notice Holder not misleading and any other information
regarding such Notice Holder and the distribution of such Registrable Securities
as the Company may from time to time reasonably request. Any sale of any
Registrable Securities by any Holder shall constitute a representation and
warranty by such Holder that the information relating to such Holder and its
plan of distribution is as set forth in the Prospectus delivered by such Holder
in connection with such disposition, that such Prospectus does not as of the
time of such sale contain any untrue statement of a material fact relating to or
provided by such Holder or its plan of distribution and that such Prospectus
does not as of the time of such sale omit to state any material fact relating to
or provided by such Holder or its plan of distribution necessary to make the
statements in such Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.

         SECTION 5. Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the performance by the Company of its
obligations under Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement whether or not any of the
Registration Statements are declared effective. Such fees and expenses shall
include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including,
without limitation, fees and expenses (x) with respect to filings required to be
made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and (y) of
compliance with federal and state securities or Blue Sky laws (including,
without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of the counsel specified
in the next sentence in connection with Blue Sky qualifications of the
Registrable Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Notice
Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement may designate), (ii) printing expenses (including,
without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities
in a form


                                      -12-
<PAGE>   14

eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company), (iii) duplication
expenses relating to copies of any Registration Statement or Prospectus
delivered to any Holders hereunder, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Company in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, (v) reasonable
fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel and of the registrar and
transfer agent for the Common Stock and (vi) Securities Act liability insurance
obtained by the Company in its sole discretion. In addition, the Company shall
bear or reimburse the Notice Holders for the reasonable fees and disbursements
of one firm of legal counsel for the Holders, which shall initially be Wilson
Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, but which may, with the
written consent of the Initial Purchaser (which shall not be unreasonably
withheld), be another nationally recognized law firm experienced in securities
law matters designated by the Company. In addition, the Company shall pay the
internal expenses of the Company (including, without limitation, all salaries
and expenses of officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties),
the expense of any annual audit, the fees and expenses incurred in connection
with the listing by the Company of the Registrable Securities on any securities
exchange on which similar securities of the Company are then listed and the fees
and expenses of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, each seller of Registrable
Securities shall pay selling expenses and all registration expenses to the
extent required by applicable law.

         SECTION 6. Indemnification.

               (a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify
and hold harmless each Notice Holder and each person, if any, who controls any
Notice Holder (within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act) from and against any losses, liabilities,
claims, damages and expenses (including, without limitation, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any
such action or claim) (collectively, "LOSSES"), arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or based upon any omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent
that any such Losses arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement contained in or omission or alleged omission from any
of such documents in reliance upon and conformity with any of the information
relating to the Holders furnished to the Company in writing by a Holder
expressly for use therein; provided further, that the indemnification contained
in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder of Registrable
Securities (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Holder) on account
of any such Losses arising out of or based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary
prospectus provided in each case the Company has performed its obligations under
Section 3(a) hereof if either (A) (i) such Holder failed to send or deliver a
copy of the Prospectus with or prior to the delivery of written confirmation of
the sale by such Holder to the person asserting the claim from which such Losses
arise and (ii) the Prospectus would have corrected such untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or such omission or alleged omission, or (B) (x) such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission is
corrected in an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus and (y) having
previously been


                                      -13-
<PAGE>   15

furnished by or on behalf of the Company with copies of the Prospectus as so
amended or supplemented, such Holder thereafter fails to deliver such Prospectus
as so amended or supplemented, with or prior to the delivery of written
confirmation of the sale of a Registrable Security to the person asserting the
claim from which such Losses arise.

               (b) Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. Each
Holder agrees severally and not jointly to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and its respective directors and officers, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company (within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities
Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) or any other Holder, from and against all
Losses arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or
Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary
prospectus, or arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, to the extent, but only to the extent,
that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in such Registration Statement
or Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto. In no event shall the
liability of any selling Holder of Registrable Securities hereunder be greater
in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Holder upon
the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement
giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

               (c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. In case any
proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted
involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to
either of the two preceding paragraphs, such person (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY")
shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the
indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the
indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable
fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party
shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in
connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction,
be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition
to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties, and that all such fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such separate firm shall be
designated in writing by, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
6(a), the Holders of a majority (with Holders of Notes deemed to be the Holders,
for purposes of determining such majority, of the number of shares of Underlying
Common Stock into which such Notes are or would be convertible or exchangeable
as of the date on which such designation is made) of the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement held by


                                      -14-
<PAGE>   16

Holders that are indemnified parties pursuant to Section 6(a) and, in the case
of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b), the Company. The indemnifying
party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final
judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the
indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have
been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such
indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of
such proceeding.

               (d) Contribution. To the extent that the indemnification provided
for in this Section 6 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 6(a)
or 6(b) hereof in respect of any Losses or is insufficient to hold such
indemnified party harmless, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Losses (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or
parties on the other hand or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above
is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also
the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of
the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the
statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be
deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the initial placement pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement (before deducting expenses) of the Registrable
Securities to which such Losses relate. Benefits received by any Holder shall be
deemed to be equal to the value of receiving Registrable Securities that are
registered under the Securities Act. The relative fault of the Holders on the
one hand and the Company on the other hand shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Holders or by the Company, and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission. The Holders' respective obligations to contribute
pursuant to this paragraph are several in proportion to the respective number of
Registrable Securities they have sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, and
not joint.

               The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method or allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses
referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding this Section 6(d), an
indemnifying party that is a selling Holder of Registrable Securities shall not
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the


                                      -15-
<PAGE>   17

Registrable Securities sold by such indemnifying party and distributed to the
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such
indemnifying party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

               (e) The indemnity, contribution and expense reimbursement
obligations of the parties hereunder shall be in addition to any liability any
indemnified party may otherwise have hereunder, under the Purchase Agreement or
otherwise.

               (f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 6 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)
any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Holder or any person controlling any Holder, or the Company, or the
Company's officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii)
the sale of any Registrable Securities by any Holder.

         SECTION 7. Information Requirements.

               (a) The Company covenants that, if at any time before the end of
the Effectiveness Period the Company is not subject to the reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act, it will cooperate with any Holder of
Registrable Securities and take such further reasonable action as any Holder of
Registrable Securities may reasonably request in writing (including, without
limitation, making such reasonable representations as any such Holder may
reasonably request), all to the extent required from time to time to enable such
Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities
Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 and Rule 144A
under the Securities Act and customarily taken in connection with sales pursuant
to such exemptions. Upon the written request of any Holder of Registrable
Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to
whether it has complied with such filing requirements, unless such a statement
has been included in the Company's most recent report filed pursuant to Section
13 or Section 15(d) of Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in
this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its
securities (other than the Common Stock) under any section of the Exchange Act.

         SECTION 8. Miscellaneous.

               (a) No Conflicting Agreements. The Company is not, as of the date
hereof, a party to, nor shall it, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter
into, any agreement with respect to its securities that conflicts with the
rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement. The
Company represents and warrants that the rights granted to the Holders of
Registrable Securities hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights
granted to the holders of the Company's securities under any other agreements.


                                      -16-
<PAGE>   18

               (b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders
of a majority of the then outstanding Underlying Common Stock constituting
Registrable Securities (with Holders of Notes deemed to be the Holders, for
purposes of this Section, of the number of outstanding shares of Underlying
Common Stock into which such Notes are or would be convertible or exchangeable
as of the date on which such consent is requested). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect
to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders of Registrable
Securities whose securities are being sold pursuant to a Registration Statement
and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders of
Registrable Securities may be given by Holders of at least a majority of the
Registrable Securities being sold by such Holders pursuant to such Registration
Statement; provided, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended,
modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the
immediately preceding sentence. Each Holder of Registrable Securities
outstanding at the time of any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver
or consent or thereafter shall be bound by any such amendment, modification,
supplement, waiver or consent effected pursuant to this Section 8(b), whether or
not any notice, writing or marking indicating such amendment, modification,
supplement, waiver or consent appears on the Registrable Securities or is
delivered to such Holder.

               (c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, by telecopier, by
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery or by first-class mail, return receipt
requested, and shall be deemed given (i) when made, if made by hand delivery,
(ii) upon confirmation, if made by telecopier, (iii) one (1) Business Day after
being deposited with such courier, if made by overnight courier or (iv) on the
date indicated on the notice of receipt, if made by first-class mail, to the
parties as follows:

               (w) if to a Holder of Registrable Securities, at the most current
address given by such Holder to the Company in a Notice and Questionnaire or any
amendment thereto;


               (x) if to the Company, to:

                   Conexant Systems, Inc.
                   4311 Jamboree Road
                   Newport Beach, California  92660-3095
                   Attention:  General Counsel
                   Telecopy No.:  (949) 483-4391

                   and

                   Latham & Watkins
                   135 Commonwealth Drive
                   Menlo Park, CA  94025
                   Attention: Christopher L. Kaufman
                   Telecopy No.:  (650) 463-2600


                                      -17-
<PAGE>   19

               (y) if to the Initial Purchaser, to:

                   Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
                   1585 Broadway
                   New York, New York
                   Attention:  Equity Capital Markets
                   Telecopy No.:  (212) 761-0538

                   And

                   Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
                   650 Page Mill Road
                   Palo Alto, California  94304
                   Attention: John A. Fore, Esq.
                   Telecopy No.:  (650) 493-6811

         or to such other address as such person may have furnished to the other
persons identified in this Section 8(c) in writing in accordance herewith.

               (d) Approval of Holders. Whenever the consent or approval of
Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required
hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (as such
term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (other than the Initial
Purchaser or subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities if such subsequent
Holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of
such Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such
consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

               (e) Successors and Assigns. Any person who purchases any
Registrable Securities from the Initial Purchaser shall be deemed, for purposes
of this Agreement, to be an assignee of the Initial Purchaser. This Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of
each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each
Holder of any Registrable Securities.

               (f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be original and all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same agreement.


                                      -18-
<PAGE>   20

               (g) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

               (h) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD
TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

               (i) Severability. If any term provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated thereby, and the parties hereto shall use their best efforts to
find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the
same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction, it being intended that all of the rights and privileges of the
parties shall be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

               (j) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties
as a final expression of their agreement and is intended to be a complete and
exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in
respect of the subject matter contained herein and the registration rights
granted by the Company with respect to the Registrable Securities. Except as
provided in the Purchase Agreement, there are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein,
with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to
the Registrable Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
undertakings among the parties with respect to such registration rights. No
party hereto shall have any rights, duties or obligations other than those
specifically set forth in this Agreement. In no event will such methods of
distribution take the form of an underwritten offering of the Registrable
Securities without the prior agreement of the Company.


                                      -19-
<PAGE>   21

               (k) Termination. This Agreement and the obligations of the
parties hereunder shall terminate upon the end of the Effectiveness Period,
except for any liabilities or obligations under Section 4, 5 or 6 hereof and the
obligations to make payments of and provide for liquidated damages under Section
2(e) hereof to the extent such damages accrue prior to the end of the
Effectiveness Period, each of which shall remain in effect in accordance with
its terms.


                                      -20-
<PAGE>   22

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.


                                        CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.

                                        By
                                          --------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                      Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

                                        MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED


                                        By:
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                        Title:


                                      -21-