Document:

<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT 4.1

                            Form of Rights Agreement
                            ------------------------
<PAGE>

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                                   May 2, 2001

                                 by and between

                               Virata Corporation

                                       and

                    American Stock Transfer and Trust Company

                                 as Rights Agent
<PAGE>

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                               -----------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               Page
                                                                                                               ----
                  <S>                                                                                          <C>
                  Section 1.  Certain Definitions..........................................................       1
                              -------------------
                  Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent..................................................       5
                              ---------------------------
                  Section 3.  Issuance of Rights Certificates..............................................       6
                              -------------------------------
                  Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates...................................................       7
                              --------------------------
                  Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration............................................       8
                              ---------------------------------
                  Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
                              -----------------------------------------------------
                          Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates............       8
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Section 7.  Exercise of Rights...........................................................       9
                              ------------------
                  Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates...........................      10
                              --------------------------------------------------
                  Section 9.  Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock................................      11
                              ---------------------------------------------
                  Section 10.  Securities Record Date......................................................      11
                               ----------------------
                  Section 11.  Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares Issuable Upon
                               ------------------------------------------------------------
                          Exercise of Rights or Number of Rights...........................................      12
                          --------------------------------------
                  Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares
                               ----------------------------------------------------------
                          Issuable Upon Exercise of Rights.................................................      17
                          --------------------------------
                  Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power........      17
                               --------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.....................................      19
                               ---------------------------------------
                  Section 15.  Rights of Action............................................................      20
                               ----------------
                  Section 16.  Agreement of Right Holders..................................................      20
                               --------------------------
                  Section 17.  Right Holder and Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder..........      21
                               ------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Section 18.  Concerning the Rights Agent.................................................      21
                               ---------------------------
                  Section 19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...................      22
                               ---------------------------------------------------------
                  Section 20.  Duties of Rights Agent......................................................      22
                               ----------------------
                  Section 21.  Change of Rights Agent......................................................      24
                               ----------------------
                  Section 22.  Issuance of New Right Certificates..........................................      25
                               ----------------------------------
                  Section 23.  Redemption of Rights........................................................      25
                               --------------------
                  Section 24.  Exchange of Rights..........................................................      26
                               ------------------
                  Section 25.  Notice of Certain Events....................................................      27
                               ------------------------
                  Section 26.  Notices.....................................................................      28
                               -------
</TABLE>

                                      vii
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
                  <S>                                                                                            <C>
                  Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments..................................................      28
                               --------------------------
                  Section 28.  Certain Covenants...........................................................      29
                               -----------------
                  Section 29.  Successors..................................................................      29
                               ----------
                  Section 30.  Benefits of this Agreement..................................................      29
                               --------------------------
                  Section 31.  Severability................................................................      29
                               ------------
                  Section 32.  Governing Law...............................................................      29
                               -------------
                  Section 33.  Counterparts................................................................      30
                               ------------
                  Section 34.  Descriptive Headings........................................................      30
                               --------------------
</TABLE>

                                TABLE OF EXHIBITS
                                -----------------

Exhibit A -- Form of Right Certificate
<PAGE>

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

         This Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered into as of
the May 2, 2001 by and between Virata Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, a trust company
organized under the laws of the State of New York, as rights agent (the "Rights
Agent").

         WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on May 9, 2001
(the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-ten
thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date or the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined).

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

         Section 1.  Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement, the
                     -------------------
following terms have the meanings indicated:

         "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on
the date hereof.

         A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "Beneficially Own" any securities:

                  (i)   that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, for purposes of
         Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the
         Exchange Act, in each case as in effect on the date hereof;

                  (ii)  that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
         immediately, or only after the passage of time, compliance with
         regulatory requirements, the fulfillment of a condition or otherwise)
         pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the
         exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights (other than these
         Rights), rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, provided, however,
                                                             --------  -------
         that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
         Beneficially Own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender offer or
         exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such
         Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
         accepted for purchase or exchange;

                  (iii) that such Person or any such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates has the right to vote, whether alone or in concert with
         others, pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
         provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
         --------  -------
         Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any security if the agreement,
         arrangement or
<PAGE>

         understanding to vote such security (A) arises solely from a revocable
         proxy given to such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates in response to a public proxy solicitation made pursuant to
         and in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated
         under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable on Schedule
         13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);

                  (iv) that are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by
         any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
         understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (other than
         voting pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
         clause (iii) of this definition of "Beneficial Owner") or disposing of
         any securities of the Company; and

                  (v)  that, on any day on or after the Distribution Date,
         evidence Rights that prior to such date were represented by
         certificates for Common Shares that such Person Beneficially Owns on
         such day.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1(b), a Person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities shall not be deemed to be the
Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any securities acquired through
such Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting
until the expiration of 40 days after the date of such acquisition.

         "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the States of California or Illinois are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

         "Certificate of Designations" shall mean the certificate of
designations specifying the powers, designations, preferences and rights of the
Preferred Shares in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law.

         "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., California
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day,
                    --------  -------
it shall mean 5:00 p.m., California time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

         "Closing Price" of a stock or other security on any day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, per share of such stock or unit of such other
security on such day or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if such stock or other security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which such stock or other security is listed or admitted
to trading or, if such stock or other security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported on the Nasdaq National Market ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date such stock or other security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices

                                       2
<PAGE>

as furnished by a professional market maker that makes a market in such stock or
other security and that is selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.

         "Common Share" shall mean one share of the Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share, of the Company, unless used with reference to a Person other
than the Company, in which case it shall mean one share of each class of stock
of such Person having the right to vote generally in the election of directors
or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, one Common Share of the
Person that ultimately controls such Person.

         "Common Share Equivalent" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

         "Current Market Price" per share of a stock or unit of any other
security on any date shall mean the average of the daily Closing Prices of such
stock or other security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days through and
including the Trading Day immediately preceding the date in question; provided,
                                                                      --------
however, that if any event shall have caused the Closing Price on any Trading
-------
Day during such 30-day period not to be fully comparable with the Closing Price
on the date in question (or, if no Closing Price is available on the date in
question, on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date in question), then
each such non-comparable Closing Price so used shall be appropriately adjusted
by the Board of Directors in order to make the Closing Price on each Trading Day
during the period used for the determination of the Current Market Price fully
comparable with the Closing Price on such date in question (or, if applicable,
the immediately preceding Trading Day). "Current Market Price" per share of any
stock or unit of such other security that is not publicly held or so listed or
traded, and "Current Market Price" of any other property, shall mean the fair
value per share of such stock or unit of such other security, or the fair value
of such other property, respectively, as determined in good faith by the Board
of Directors of the Company based upon such appraisals or valuation reports of
such independent experts as the Board of Directors shall in good faith determine
appropriate, which determination shall be described in a statement filed by the
Company with the Rights Agent.

         "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3
hereof.

         "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any wholly-owned Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary of the
Company and any Person holding Voting Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such employee benefit plan.

         "Exercise Price" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 7(c)
hereof.

         "Expiration Date" shall mean May 2, 2011.

         "15% Ownership Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement
(which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a
report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Company or a
15% Stockholder containing the facts by virtue of which a Person has become a
15% Stockholder.

                                       3
<PAGE>

         "15% Stockholder" shall mean any Person that Beneficially Owns 15% or
more of the Voting Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however,
                                                           --------  -------
that the term "15% Stockholder" shall not include: (i) an Exempt Person; (ii)
any Person that would not otherwise be a 15% Stockholder but for a reduction in
the number of outstanding Voting Shares resulting from a stock repurchase
program or other similar plan of the Company or from a self tender offer of the
Company, which plan or tender offer commenced on or after the date hereof;
provided, however, that the term "15% Stockholder" shall include such Person
--------  -------
from and after the first date upon which (A) such Person, since the date of the
commencement of such plan or tender offer, shall have acquired Beneficial
Ownership of, in the aggregate, a number of Voting Shares of the Company equal
to 1% or more of the Voting Shares of the Company then outstanding and (B) such
Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall
Beneficially Own 15% or more of the Voting Shares of the Company then
outstanding; (iii) any Person that would not otherwise be a 15% Stockholder but
for its Beneficial Ownership of Rights; (iv) any Person that is the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares of the Company as of May
2, 2001; provided, however, that the term "15% Stockholder" shall include such
         --------  -------
Person from and after the first date upon which (A) such Person, since May 2,
2001, shall have acquired, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors
of the Company, Beneficial Ownership of, in the aggregate, a number of Voting
Shares of the Company equal to 1% or more of the Voting Shares of the Company
then outstanding and (B) such Person, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, shall Beneficially Own 15% or more of the Voting
Shares of the Company then outstanding; or (v) any Person (a "Transferee") that
acquires Voting Shares from a Person described in clause (iv) above that has not
become a 15% Stockholder if, after giving effect to such acquisition, such
Transferee Beneficially Owns no more than the sum of the Voting Shares so
acquired plus 1% of the Voting Shares then outstanding; provided, however, that
                                                        --------  -------
the term "15% Stockholder" shall include such Transferee from and after the
first date upon which (A) such Transferee, since the date of such acquisition,
shall have acquired, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors of the
Company, Beneficial Ownership of, in the aggregate, a number of Voting Shares of
the Company equal to 1% or more of the Voting Shares of the Company then
outstanding and (B) such Transferee, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such Transferee, shall Beneficially Own 15% or more of the Voting Shares of
the Company then outstanding. In calculating the percentage of the outstanding
Voting Shares that are Beneficially Owned by a Person for purposes of this
definition, Voting Shares that are Beneficially Owned by such Person shall be
deemed outstanding, and Voting Shares that are not Beneficially Owned by such
Person and that are subject to issuance upon the exercise or conversion of
outstanding conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options
shall not be deemed outstanding. Any determination made by the Board of
Directors of the Company as to whether any Person is or is not a 15% Stockholder
shall be conclusive and binding upon all holders of Rights.

         "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation,
association, group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 promulgated under the
Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof) or other entity, and shall include
any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

         "Preferred Share" shall mean one share of the Series A Preferred Stock,
par value $.01 per share, of the Company, which shall have the rights and
preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred
Shares.

                                       4
<PAGE>

         "Preferred Share Equivalent" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in
Section 11(b) hereof.

         "Record Date" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals
hereto.

         "Redemption Date" shall mean the date of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company authorizing and directing the redemption of the Rights
pursuant to Section 23(a) hereof or the exchange of the Rights pursuant to
Section 24(a) hereof.

         "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section
23(a) hereof.

         "Right Certificate", as that term is used with respect to any period
prior to the Distribution Date, shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section
3(b) hereof, and, as that term is used with respect to any period on or after
the Distribution Date, shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3(c)
hereof.

         "Rights Expiration Date" shall mean the Expiration Date, except if
there has been a Distribution Date, then it shall mean the tenth anniversary of
the Distribution Date.

         "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

         "Section 13(a) Event" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section
13(a) hereof.

         "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other Person
of which equity securities or equity interests representing a majority of the
voting power are owned, directly or indirectly, or which is effectively
controlled, by such Person.

         "Surviving Person" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section
13(a) hereof.

         "Trading Day" shall mean, as to any stock or other security, a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which such stock or other
security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if such stock or other security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

         "Voting Share" shall mean (i) a Common Share of the Company and (ii)
any other share of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors or entitled to vote together with the Common Shares in
respect of any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the
Company's assets, liquidation, dissolution or winding up. References in this
Agreement to a percentage or portion of the outstanding Voting Shares shall be
deemed a reference to the percentage or portion of the total votes entitled to
be cast by the holders of the outstanding Voting Shares.

         Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
                    ---------------------------
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of Rights in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby
accepts such appointment. The

                                       5
<PAGE>

Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.

         Section 3.  Issuance of Rights Certificates.
                     -------------------------------

         (a) "Distribution Date" shall mean the date, after the date hereof,
that is the earliest of (i) the tenth Business Day (or such later day as shall
be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company) following the date of
the commencement of, or the first public announcement of the intent of any
Person, other than an Exempt Person, to commence a tender offer or exchange
offer, the consummation of which would cause any Person to become a 15%
Stockholder, (ii) the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or (iii) the
date of the first Section 13(a) Event.

         (b) Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights shall be represented by
certificates for Common Shares (all of which certificates for Common Shares
shall be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right
Certificates, (ii) the record holder of the Common Shares represented by each of
such certificates shall be the record holder of the Rights represented thereby
and (iii) the Rights shall be transferable only in connection with the transfer
of Common Shares. Until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption
Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of such certificates for
Common Shares shall also constitute the surrender for transfer of the Rights
represented thereby.

         (c) As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, and after
notification by the Company, the Rights Agent shall send, at the expense of the
Company, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail to each record holder of Common
Shares, as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto representing one Right for each
                             ---------
Common Share so held. From and after the Distribution Date, the Rights shall be
represented solely by such Right Certificates and may only be transferred by the
transfer of such Right Certificates, and the holders of such Right Certificates,
as listed in the records of the Company or any transfer agent or registrar for
such Rights, shall be the record holders of such Rights.

         (d) Certificates for Common Shares issued at any time after the Record
Date and prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or
the Expiration Date, shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or
otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

         This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
         certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of May 2,
         2001 by and between Virata Corporation and American Stock Transfer and
         Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement"), as amended to
         date, the terms and conditions of which are hereby incorporated herein
         by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
         offices of Virata Corporation. Under certain circumstances specified in
         the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be represented by separate
         certificates and will no longer be represented by this certificate.
         Under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, Rights
         beneficially owned by certain persons may become null and void. Virata
         Corporation will mail to the record holder of this certificate a copy
         of the Rights Agreement without charge promptly following receipt of a
         written request therefor. As described in the

                                       6
<PAGE>

         Rights Agreement, Rights Beneficially Owned by any Person who becomes a
         15% Stockholder or any Affiliate or Associate of a 15% Stockholder (as
         such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) shall
         become null and void.

         (e) Certificates for Common Shares issued at any time on or after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights
Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise
affixed to them the following legend:

         This certificate does not represent any Right issued pursuant to the
         terms of a Rights Agreement dated as of May 2, 2001 by and between
         Virata Corporation and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as
         Rights Agent.

         (f) In the event that at any time on or after the earlier of the date
of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13(a)
Event and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration
Date, the Company shall issue any Common Shares pursuant to the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than Rights), warrants or
options that shall have been issued or granted prior to the earlier of the date
of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13(a)
Event, then, unless the Board of Directors of the Company shall have provided
otherwise at the time of the issuance or grant of such conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than Rights), warrants or options, the Rights
Agent shall, as soon as practicable after the date of such event, send by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail to the record holder of such Common Shares, at
the address of such holder as shown on the records of the Company, a Right
Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto representing one Right
                                         ---------
for each Common Share so issued.

         (h) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section , the
Rights Agent shall not send any Right Certificate to any 15% Stockholder or any
of its Affiliates or Associates or to any Person if the Rights held by such
Person are Beneficially Owned by a 15% Stockholder or any of its Affiliates or
Associates. Any determination made by the Board of Directors of the Company as
to whether any Common Shares are or were Beneficially Owned at any time by a 15%
Stockholder or an Affiliate or Associate of a 15% Stockholder shall be
conclusive and binding upon all holders of Rights.

         Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates and the
                    --------------------------
form of assignment, including certificate, and the form of election to purchase,
including certificate, printed on the reverse thereof, when, as and if issued,
shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto, and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange upon which the Rights or the securities
of the Company issuable upon exercise of the Rights may from time to time be
listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to Section 22 hereof, Right
Certificates, whenever issued, that are issued in respect of Common Shares that
were issued and outstanding as of the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date, shall be dated as of the Distribution Date.

                                       7
<PAGE>

         Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration.
                     ---------------------------------

         (a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its President or
any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and may have
affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof attested by its
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, either manually or by facsimile signature.
The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and
shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer
of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease
to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent
and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates may
nevertheless be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by
the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such
Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company. Any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who at the
actual date of such execution shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign
such Right Certificate, even though such person was not such an officer at the
date of the execution of this Agreement.

         (b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall keep or
cause to be kept at its principal offices books for registration and transfer of
the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of Right Certificates, the number of Rights
represented on its face by each Right Certificate and the date of each Right
Certificate.

         Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
                     -----------------------------------------------------
         Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
         ---------------------------------------------------------------------

         (a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 6(c), 7(d) and 14 hereof, at
any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and so long as
the Rights represented thereby remain outstanding, any one or more Right
Certificates may be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged for one or more
Right Certificates representing the same aggregate number of Rights as the Right
Certificates surrendered. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange one or more Right Certificates shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of
the Rights Agent with the form of assignment, including certificate, on the
reverse side thereof completed and duly executed, with signature guaranteed.
Thereupon, the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled
thereto one or more Right Certificates, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Right Certificates.

         (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
such Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company shall issue and deliver to the
Rights Agent for

                                       8
<PAGE>

delivery to the record holder of such Right Certificate a new Right Certificate
of like tenor in lieu of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Right
Certificate.

         (c)   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6, the
Rights Agent shall not countersign and deliver a Right Certificate to any Person
if such Right Certificate represents, or would represent when held by such
Person, Rights that had become or would become null and void pursuant to Section
7(d) hereof.

         Section 7.  Exercise of Rights.
                     ------------------

         (a)   Until the Distribution Date, no Right may be exercised.

         (b)   Subject to Section 7(d) and (g) hereof and the other provisions
of this Agreement, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date and prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or
the Rights Expiration Date, the registered holder of any Right Certificate may
exercise the Rights represented thereby in whole or in part upon surrender of
such Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase, including
certificate, on the reverse side thereof completed and duly executed, with
signature guaranteed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent at
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, 58 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038, together with payment of the Exercise Price for each Right exercised.
Upon the exercise of an exercisable Right and payment of the Exercise Price in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the holder of such Right shall
be entitled to receive, subject to adjustment as provided herein, one one-ten
thousandth of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event or a Section 13(a) Event, Common Shares and/or other
securities).

         (c)   The "Exercise Price" for the exercise of each Right shall
initially be $90.00 and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with Section 7(f) hereof. The Exercise Price and the
number of Preferred Shares (or, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or a Section 13(a) Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) to be
acquired upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in Sections 7(e), 11 and 13 hereof and the other provisions of
this Agreement.

         (d)   Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the earlier of the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the
date of the first Section 13(a) Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially
Owned by a 15% Stockholder or any Affiliate or Associate of a 15% Stockholder at
any time on or after the Distribution Date shall be null and void, and for all
purposes of this Agreement such Rights shall thereafter be deemed not to be
outstanding, and any holder of such Rights (whether or not such holder is a 15%
Stockholder or an Affiliate or Associate of a 15% Stockholder) shall thereafter
have no right to exercise such Rights.

         (e)   Prior to the Distribution Date, if the Board of Directors of the
Company shall have determined that such action adequately protects the interests
of the holders of Rights, the Company may, in its discretion, substitute for all
or any portion of the Preferred Shares that would otherwise be issuable (after
the Close of Business on the Distribution Date) upon the exercise of each Right
and payment of the Exercise Price (i) cash, (ii) other equity securities of

                                       9
<PAGE>

the Company, (iii) debt securities of the Company, (iv) other property or (v)
any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current
Market Price equal to the aggregate Current Market Price of the Preferred Shares
for which substitution is made. Subject to Section 7(d) hereof, in the event
that the Company takes any action pursuant to this Section 7(e), such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights.

         (f) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase, including certificate, completed
and duly executed, with signature guaranteed, accompanied by payment of the
Exercise Price for each Right to be exercised and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check or cashier's
check payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon
promptly (i) requisition from the transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or,
following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or a Section 13(a) Event,
Common Shares and/or securities) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares
(or such other securities) to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes such transfer agent to comply with all such requests, and/or, as
provided in Section 14 hereof, requisition from the depositary agent described
therein depositary receipts representing such number of one-ten thousandths of a
Preferred Share (or such other securities) as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the Preferred Shares (or such other securities) represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with such depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash
to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional Preferred Shares (or such other
securities) in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates, depositary receipts or cash, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in
such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when
appropriate, after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of
the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

         (g) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7, the
exercisability of the Rights shall be suspended for such period as shall
reasonably be necessary for the Company to register and qualify under the
Securities Act and any applicable securities law of any jurisdiction the
Preferred Shares and/or Common Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant
to the exercise of the Rights; provided, however, that nothing contained in this
                               --------  -------
Section 7 shall relieve the Company of its obligations under Section 9(c)
hereof.

         (h) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all of the Rights represented thereby, a new Right
Certificate representing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right
Certificate or to such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.

         Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
                    --------------------------------------------------
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and

                                      10
<PAGE>

the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company or
shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.

     Section 9.  Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
                 ---------------------------------------------

     (a)  Subject to Sections 7(e) and 9(f) hereof, the Company shall cause to
be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued equity
securities (or out of its authorized and issued equity securities held in its
treasury), the number of such equity securities that will from time to time be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

     (b)  In the event that any securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights
are listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, to cause all
such securities issued or reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

     (c)  If necessary to permit the issuance of securities upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall use its best efforts, from and after the Distribution
Date, to register and qualify such securities under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act and any other applicable securities laws and to keep such
registration effective until the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights
Expiration Date.

     (d)  The Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to ensure
that all securities delivered upon exercise of the Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such securities (subject to payment of the
Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable securities.

     (e)  The Company shall pay when due and payable any and all federal and
state transfer taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the issuance
or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any securities upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that
may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of a Right Certificate to
a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a certificate for securities
in respect of a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate representing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or deliver
any certificate for securities upon the exercise of any Right until any such tax
shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.

     (f)  With respect to the Common Shares and/or other securities issuable
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) and (iii) hereof, the foregoing covenants shall be
applicable only upon and following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

     Section 10. Securities Record Date.  Each Person in whose name any
                 ----------------------
certificate for securities of the Company is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
securities represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate representing such Rights was

                                      11
<PAGE>

duly surrendered and payment of the Exercise Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
                 --------  -------
payment is a date upon which the securities transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
securities on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business
Day on which the securities transfer books of the Company are open.

     Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares Issuable Upon
                 ------------------------------------------------------------
     Exercise of Rights or Number of Rights. The Exercise Price, the number and
     --------------------------------------
kind of securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a Right and the number
of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.

          (a)(i)    In the event that the Company shall at any time after the
     Close of Business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of Business on
     the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date (A)
     declare or pay any dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
     Shares or Voting Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares,
     (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of
     Preferred Shares or (D) issue Preferred Shares or other securities of the
     Company (other than those for which an adjustment is required under Section
     11(b) hereof) in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any
     such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
     the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) or in a
     reorganization of the Company, then, and upon each such event, the number
     and kind of Preferred Shares or other securities issuable upon the exercise
     of a Right on the date of such event shall be proportionately adjusted so
     that the holder of any Right exercised on or after such date shall be
     entitled to receive, upon the exercise thereof and payment of the Exercise
     Price, the aggregate number and kind of Preferred Shares or other
     securities or other property, as the case may be, that, if such Right had
     been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when such Right
     was exercisable and the transfer books of the Company were open, such
     holder would have owned upon such exercise and would have been entitled to
     receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
     reclassification. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under
     both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment
     provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be
     made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
     hereof.

          (ii)      In the event that a 15% Ownership Date shall have occurred
     and neither the Redemption Date nor the Expiration Date shall have occurred
     prior to the tenth Business Day following such 15% Ownership Date (a
     "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), then, and upon each such Section 11(a)(ii)
     Event, proper provision shall be made so that, except as provided in
     Section 7(d) hereof, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right
     to receive, upon the exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this
     Agreement and payment of the then current Exercise Price, such number of
     Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A)
     multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the then number of one-ten
     thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
     immediately prior to such Section 11(a)(ii) Event (or, if the Distribution
     Date shall not have occurred prior to the date of such Section 11(a)(ii)
     Event, the number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a
     Right would have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred on
     the Business Day immediately

                                      12
<PAGE>

     preceding the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event), and (B) dividing that
     product by 50% of the Current Market Price of a Common Share on the date of
     occurrence of the relevant Section 11(a)(ii) Event (such number of shares
     being hereinafter referred to as the "Adjustment Shares"). Successive
     adjustments shall be made pursuant to this paragraph each time a Section
     11(a)(ii) Event occurs.

          (iii)     In the event that on the date of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
     the aggregate number of Common Shares that are authorized by the Company's
     Certificate of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, but not
     outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
     of the Rights is less than the aggregate number of Adjustment Shares
     thereafter issuable upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
     with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the excess of such number of Adjustment
     Shares over and above such number of Common Shares being hereinafter
     referred to as the "Unavailable Adjustment Shares"), then, and upon each
     such event, the Company shall substitute for the pro rata portion of the
     Unavailable Adjustment Shares that would otherwise be issuable thereafter
     upon the exercise of each Right and payment of the Exercise Price (A) cash,
     (B) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
     shares of preferred stock of the Company or units of such shares having the
     same Current Market Price as one Common Share (a "Common Share
     Equivalent")), (C) debt securities of the Company, (D) other property or
     (E) any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate
     Current Market Price equal to the aggregate Current Market Price of the
     Unavailable Adjustment Shares for which substitution is made. Subject to
     Section 7(d) hereof, in the event that the Company takes any action
     pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii), such action shall apply uniformly to
     all outstanding Rights.

     (b)  In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of
the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them initially to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or
shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("Preferred Share Equivalents")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or Preferred Share Equivalents, at a price per Preferred Share or
Preferred Share Equivalent (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or Preferred Share Equivalents) less
than the Current Market Price per Preferred Share on such record date, then, and
upon each such event, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date
shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be equal
to the sum of the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of the
total number of Preferred Shares and/or Preferred Share Equivalents to be so
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities to be so offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and
the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares
and/or Preferred Share Equivalents to be offered for subscription or purchase
(or into which the convertible securities to be so offered are initially
convertible); provided, however, that if such rights, options or warrants are
              --------  -------
not exercisable immediately upon issuance but become exercisable only upon the
occurrence of a specified event or the passage of a specified period of

                                      13
<PAGE>

time, then the adjustment to the Exercise Price shall be made and become
effective only upon the occurrence of such event or such passage of time, and
such adjustment shall be made as if the record date for the issuance of such
rights, options or warrants had been the Business Day immediately preceding the
date upon which such rights, options or warrants became exercisable. Preferred
Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment to the
Exercise Price shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed,
and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Exercise
Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price that would then be in effect if
such record date had not been fixed.

     (c)  In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of
the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, fix a record date for the
making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any
such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the surviving corporation) of assets (other than a distribution for
which an adjustment is required under Section 11(a)(i) or (b) hereof or a
regular quarterly cash dividend), then the Exercise Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be equal to the excess of the Current Market Price per Preferred Share on
such record date over and above the fair market value of the portion of the
securities or assets to be so distributed with respect to one Preferred Share,
and the denominator of which shall be equal to such Current Market Price per
Preferred Share. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such a distribution is not so made,
the Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price that would then be
in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

     (d)  For the purpose of any computation under this Section 11, if the
Preferred Shares are not publicly held or traded, the "Current Market Price" per
Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to be the Current Market Price per
Common Share multiplied by 10,000.

     (e)  No adjustment in the Exercise Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the then
current Exercise Price; provided, however, that any adjustments that by reason
                        --------  -------
of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be cumulated and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-thousandth of a
Common Share or other share or one-millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case
may be.

     (f)  If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right shall, upon exercise thereof, be entitled to
receive any securities of the Company other than Preferred Shares, and if an
event occurs in respect of such securities that, if it were to occur in respect
of Preferred Shares, would require an adjustment under this Section 11 in
respect of Preferred Shares, then the number of such other securities so
receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time
to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to Preferred Shares contained in this Section 11, and
the other provisions of this Agreement with respect to Preferred Shares shall
apply on like terms to any such other securities.

                                      14
<PAGE>

     (g)  All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Exercise Price hereunder shall represent the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of one-ten thousandths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

     (h)  Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i) below, upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price as a result of
the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right outstanding
immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter represent
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, that number of one-ten
thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one-millionth of a
Preferred Share) obtained by multiplying (i) the number of one-ten thousandths
of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of one Right immediately
prior to such adjustment of the Exercise Price by (ii) the Exercise Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment, and dividing the product so
obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment.

     (i)  The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Exercise Price, to adjust the number of Rights instead of making any adjustment
in the number of Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each
of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share for which
a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of
record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number
of Rights (calculated to the nearest one one-thousandth of a Right) obtained by
dividing the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the adjustment of the
Exercise Price by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment
of the Exercise Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its
election to adjust the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i),
indicating the record date for the adjustment and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. Such record date may be the date on which
the Exercise Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if separate Right
Certificates have been issued, it shall be at least 10 days after the date of
such public announcement. If separate Right Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates
representing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment or, at the option of
the Company, cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution
and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the
date of such adjustment, and upon surrender thereof if required by the Company,
new Right Certificates representing all the Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so distributed shall
be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may
bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Exercise Price) and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.

     (j)  Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or the
number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
one Right, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue
to express the Exercise Price per one

                                      15
<PAGE>

one-ten thousandth of a Preferred Share and the number of Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of one Right that were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.

     (k)  Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Exercise Price below one one-ten thousandth of the then par value, if any, of
the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall
take any corporate action that may, in the advice or opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable one one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share at such adjusted
Exercise Price.

     (l)  In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer, until the occurrence of such event, the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate
instrument representing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

     (m)  Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such further adjustments in the number of one-
ten thousandths of a Preferred Share that may be purchased upon exercise of one
Right, and such further adjustments in the Exercise Price, in addition to those
adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that the
Company in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any
(i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly
for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the Current Market Price thereof,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities that by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) dividends
on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or (v) issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.

     (n)  In the event that the Company shall, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Record Date and prior to the Close of Business on the earliest
of the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the date of the first Section
13(a) Event, the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, (i) pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Shares, (iii) combine the outstanding Common Shares into a
smaller number of Common Shares or (iv) issue Common Shares in a
reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), then, and upon each such event, the Exercise Price to
be in effect after such event shall be determined by multiplying the Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be equal to the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of
Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event. Successive adjustments
shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(n) each time such a dividend is paid
or such a subdivision, combination or

                                      16
<PAGE>

reclassification is effected. If an event occurs that would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(n) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be in addition to, and shall
be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

     Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares
                  ----------------------------------------------------------
     Issuable Upon Exercise of Rights.  Whenever an adjustment is made as
     --------------------------------
provided in Section 11 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
giving rise to such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each
transfer agent for the securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights a copy of
such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights
in accordance with Section 25 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence,
the failure of the Company to make such certification or to give such notice
shall not affect the validity or the force and effect of such adjustment. Any
adjustment to be made pursuant to Sections 11 or 13 hereof shall be effective as
of the date of the event giving rise to such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall
be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment
therein contained, and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any
adjustment nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless
and until it shall have received such certificate.

     Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
                  --------------------------------------------------------------
     Power.
     -----

     (a)  In the event (a "Section 13(a) Event") that, at any time on or after
the 15% Ownership Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the
Rights Expiration Date, (1) the Company shall, directly or indirectly,
consolidate with or merge with and into any other Person and the Company shall
not be the continuing or surviving corporation in such consolidation or merger,
(2) any Person shall, directly or indirectly, consolidate with or merge with and
into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation in such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of
the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any Person or cash or any other property, or (3) the Company
and/or any one or more of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, sell
or otherwise transfer, in one or more transactions (other than transactions in
the ordinary course of business), assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to any Person or Persons other than the Company or one or more of its
wholly-owned Subsidiaries (such Persons, together with the surviving
corporations described in clauses (1) and (2) above shall be collectively
referred to in this Section as the "Surviving Person"), then, and in each such
case, proper provision shall be made so that:

          (i)       except as provided in Section 7(d) hereof, each holder of a
     Right shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof
     in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the then
     current Exercise Price, in lieu of the securities or other property
     otherwise purchasable upon such exercise, such number of validly authorized
     and issued, fully paid and nonassessable Common Shares of the Surviving
     Person (and if such Surviving Person has more than one class or series of
     Common Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid and

                                      17
<PAGE>

     nonassessable Common Shares of each series or class) as shall be equal to a
     fraction, the numerator of which is:

                 (A)  if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has not occurred prior to
          such Section 13(a) Event, the product of the then current Exercise
          Price multiplied by the number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred
          Share purchasable upon the exercise of one Right immediately prior to
          the first Section 13(a) Event (or, if the Distribution Date shall not
          have occurred prior to the date of such Section 13(a) Event, the
          number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share that would have
          been so purchasable if the Distribution Date had occurred on the
          Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Section 13(a)
          Event), or

                 (B)  if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to such
          Section 13(a) Event, the product of the Exercise Price in effect
          immediately prior to such Section 11(a)(ii) Event multiplied by the
          number of one-ten thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon
          the exercise of one Right immediately prior to such Section 11(a)(ii)
          Event (or, if the Distribution Date shall not have occurred prior to
          the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the number of one-ten
          thousandths of a Preferred Share that would have been so purchasable
          if the Distribution Date had occurred on the Business Day immediately
          preceding the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event),

     and the denominator of which is 50% of the Current Market Price per Common
     Share of the Surviving Person on the date of consummation of such Section
     13(a) Event;

          (ii)   the Surviving Person shall thereafter be liable for and shall
     assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the
     obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;

          (iii)  the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to the
     Surviving Person; and

          (iv)   the Surviving Person shall take such steps (including, but not
     limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in
     accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as
     may be necessary to ensure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
     applicable to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
     Rights.

     (b)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Section 13(a) Event is the sale
or transfer in one or more transactions of assets or earning power aggregating
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole), but less than 100% thereof, then each Person acquiring all
or a portion thereof shall assume the obligations of the Company as to a
fraction of each of the Rights equal to the fraction of the assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) acquired by such Person, and the
obligations of the Company as to the remaining fraction of each of the Rights
shall continue to be the obligations of the Company.

                                      18
<PAGE>

     (c)  The Company shall not consummate a Section 13(a) Event unless prior
thereto the Company and the Surviving Person shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that such Surviving
Person shall, upon consummation of such Section 13(a) Event, assume this
Agreement in accordance with Section 13 hereof, that all rights of first refusal
or preemptive rights in respect of the issuance of Common Shares of such
Surviving Person upon exercise of outstanding Rights have been waived and that
such Section 13(a) Event shall not result in a default by such Surviving Person
under this Agreement, and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of consummation of such Section 13(a) Event, such Surviving Person
shall:

          (i)    prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities
     Act with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise
     of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such
     registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
     such filing, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
     remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements
     of the Securities Act) until the Rights Expiration Date, and similarly
     comply with all applicable state securities laws;

          (ii)   use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the
     Rights and the Common Shares of the Surviving Person purchasable upon
     exercise of the Rights on a national securities exchange, or use its best
     efforts to cause the Rights and such Common Shares to meet the eligibility
     requirements for quotation on NASDAQ; and

          (iii)  deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
     statements for such Surviving Person that comply in all respects with the
     requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the
     Exchange Act.

     (d)  In the event that at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event some or all of the Rights shall not have been exercised pursuant
to Section 11 hereof prior to the date of a Section 13(a) Event, such Rights
shall thereafter be exercisable only in the manner described in Section 13(a)
hereof. In the event that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs on or after the date
of a Section 13(a) Event, Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 11
hereof but shall instead be exercisable pursuant to, and only pursuant to, this
Section 13.

     (e)  The provisions of this Section 13 shall apply to each successive
merger, consolidation, sale or other transfer constituting a Section 13(a)
Event.

     Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
                  ---------------------------------------

     (a)  The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates that represent fractional Rights. If the Company
shall determine not to issue such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to
the registered holders of the Right Certificates with respect to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, at the time such fractional
Rights would otherwise have been issued as provided herein, an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the Current Market Price of a whole Right on the
Business Day immediately prior to the date upon which such fractional Rights
would otherwise have been issuable.

                                      19
<PAGE>

     (b)  The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares
or Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one
one-ten thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of Rights, or to
distribute certificates that represent fractional Common Shares or Preferred
Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-ten
thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral
multiples of one one-ten thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of
the Company, be represented by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate
agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it, provided that
such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall
have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as
beneficial owners of Preferred Shares. If the Company shall determine not to
issue fractional Common Shares or Preferred Shares (or depositary receipts in
lieu of Preferred Shares), the Company shall pay to the registered holders of
Right Certificates with respect to which such fractional Common Shares or
Preferred Shares would otherwise be issuable, at the time such Rights are
exercised as provided herein, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the Current Market Price of a whole Common Share or Preferred Share, as the case
may be. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the Current Market Price of a whole
Common Share or Preferred Share shall be the Closing Price per share for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

     (c)  The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of such Right, expressly
waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
Common Shares or Preferred Shares upon exercise of such Right, except as
permitted by this Section 14.

     Section 15.  Rights of Action.  All rights of action in respect of this
                  ----------------
Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section
18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates and certificates for Common Shares representing Rights, and any
registered holder of any Right Certificate or of such certificate for Common
Shares, without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Right Certificate or any other certificate for Common Shares may, in such
holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise the
Rights represented by such Right Certificate or by such certificate for Common
Shares in the manner provided in such Certificate and in this Agreement. Without
limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations, of
the obligations of any Person under this Agreement.

     Section 16.  Agreement of Right Holders.  Every holder of a Right, by
                  --------------------------
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and every other holder of a Right that:

     (a)  prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights shall be represented by
certificates for Common Shares registered in the name of the holders of such
Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall also constitute Right
Certificates), and each such Right shall be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of such Common Shares;

                                      20
<PAGE>

     (b)  after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates shall only be
transferable on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the
principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer; and

     (c)  the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose the Right Certificate is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of
the Rights represented thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Right Certificate by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent
shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

     Section 17. Right Holder and Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
     ------------------------------------------------------------------
     Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Right or Right Certificate shall be
     -----------
entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of
the securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right or Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, in each case until such Right or the
Rights represented by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

     Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
                 ---------------------------

     (a)  The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability. The costs and expenses of enforcing this right of indemnification
shall also be paid by the Company. The indemnification provided for hereunder
shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this
Agreement.

     (b)  The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected and
shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment
or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice,
direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document believed
by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of
its counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.

                                      21
<PAGE>

     (c)  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no
event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential
loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such
loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action.

     Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
                 ---------------------------------------------------------

     (a)  Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. If, at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency
created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and if at that time any of the Right Certificates
shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in such Right Certificate and in
this Agreement.

     (b)  If at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed, and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and if at that time any of the
Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement.

     Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
                 ----------------------
and obligations imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations
shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent) upon the following
terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance of the Rights, shall be bound:

     (a)  Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may consult
with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or
opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion.

     (b)  Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively

                                      22
<PAGE>

proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the
Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered
to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

     (c)  The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

     (d)  The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement, or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof), or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.

     (e)  The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right
Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of
the Rights (including any Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 7(d)
hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner,
method or amount thereof) provided for in Sections 7, 11, 13 and 23 hereof, or
the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights represented by Right
Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Right Certificate, or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares or
other securities will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.

     (f)  The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.

     (g)  The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman, the President, any Vice
President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the
Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection
with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to
be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer
or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application
by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option
of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or
omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on or after which
such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified in such application

                                      23
<PAGE>

(which date shall not be less than ten Business Days after the date any officer
of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instructions from the Company in response to such
application to the contrary.

     (h)  The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under
this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

     (i)  The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided that reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.

     (j)  No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.

     (k)  The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to
have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without limitation,
any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person
as a 15% Stockholder, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and
until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company
of such fact, event or determination.

     (l)  If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

     Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
                 ----------------------
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30-days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and,
at the expense of the Company to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-
class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent upon 30-days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become

                                      24
<PAGE>

incapable of acting as such, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights
Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30
days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in
writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated
Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit such holder's Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the Company shall become the Rights Agent and the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the States of New York or
California (or of any other state of the United States so long as such
corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the States
of New York or California), in good standing, having a principal office in New
York or California, that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and that has at the time of its appointment as Rights
Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. After appointment,
the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties
and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose of this Agreement and so that the successor Rights Agent may
appropriately act as Rights Agent hereunder. Not later than the effective date
of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with
the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

     Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
                 ----------------------------------
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Right Certificates to the contrary,
the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates in such form as may
be approved by the Board of Directors in order to reflect any adjustment or
change in the Exercise Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable upon exercise of the Rights in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement.

     Section 23. Redemption of Rights.
                 --------------------

     (a)  Until the earliest of (i) the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, (ii) the date of the first Section 13(a) Event or (iii) the Rights
Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
authorize and direct the redemption of all, but not less than all, of the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, as such redemption
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (the "Redemption Price"),
and the Company shall so redeem the Rights.

     (b)  Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
authorizing and directing the redemption of the Rights pursuant to subsection
(a) of this

                                      25
<PAGE>

Section 23, or at such time and date thereafter as it may specify, and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise Rights shall
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price. Within ten (10) Business Days after the date of
such action, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the holders of
Rights by mailing such notice to all holders of Rights at their last addresses
as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common
Shares. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but neither the failure
to give any such notice nor any defect therein shall affect the legality or
validity of such redemption. Each such notice of redemption shall state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the
Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may, directly or indirectly,
redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in Section 24 hereof or in this Section 23, or in
connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the earlier of the date
of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13(a)
Event.

     (c)  The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
Common Shares, Preferred Shares, other equity securities of the Company, debt
securities of the Company, other property or any combination of the foregoing,
in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price on the Redemption Date
equal to the Redemption Price.

     Section 24. Exchange of Rights.
                 ------------------

     (a)  At any time during the period of 180 days after a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, authorize and
direct the exchange of all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding
Rights for Common Shares, one one-ten thousandths of Preferred Shares, debt
securities of the Company, other property, or any combination of the foregoing,
in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price equal to the result
obtained by (i) multiplying the Current Market Price per Common Share on the
record date for such exchange by the number of Common Shares for which a Right
is exercisable on such record date and (ii) subtracting from such product the
Exercise Price on such Record Date (the "Exchange Ratio"), and the Company shall
so exchange the Rights.

     (b)  Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
authorizing and directing the exchange of the Rights pursuant to subsection (a)
of this Section 24, or at such time and date thereafter as it may specify, and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise Rights
shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be
to receive the securities or other property described in Section 24(a) in
accordance with the Exchange Ratio. Within ten (10) Business Days after the date
of such action, the Company shall give notice of such exchange to the holders of
Rights by mailing such notice to all holders of Rights at their last addresses
as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common
Shares. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but neither the failure
to give any such notice nor any defect therein shall affect the legality or
validity of such exchange. Each such notice of exchange shall state the method
by which the Rights will be exchanged.

                                      26
<PAGE>

     (c)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the aggregate number
of Common Shares that are authorized by the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended from time to time, but not outstanding or reserved for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise or exchange of the Rights is less
than the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable upon the exchange of the
Rights in accordance with this Section 24 (the excess of such number of
authorized Common Shares over and above such number of issuable Common Shares
being hereinafter referred to as the "Unavailable Exchange Shares"), then the
Company shall substitute for the pro rata portion of the Unavailable Exchange
Shares that would otherwise be issuable upon the exchange of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 24 (i) cash, (ii) other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, Common Share Equivalents), (iii) debt
securities of the Company, (iv) other property or (v) any combination of the
foregoing, in each case having an aggregate Current Market Price equal to the
aggregate Current Market Price of the Unavailable Exchange Shares for which
substitution is made. Subject to Section 7(d) hereof, in the event that the
Company takes any action pursuant to this Section 24, such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights.

     Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
                 ------------------------

     (a)  In the event that the Company shall propose (i) to declare or pay
any dividend on or make any distribution with respect to its Common Shares or
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Common Shares or Preferred Shares options, rights or
warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares thereof or shares
of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to
effect any reclassification of its Common Shares or Preferred Shares (other than
a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares), (iv)
to effect any consolidation or merger with or into, or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of more than 50% of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any
other Person or Persons, or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, then and in each such case, the Company shall give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action that shall specify the record date for the
purpose of such dividend or distribution, or the date upon which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein
by the holders of record of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares for purposes of
such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20 days prior to
the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, whichever date
shall be the earlier. The failure to give the notice required by this Section 25
or any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the action
taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.

     (b)  Upon the occurrence of each Section 11(a)(ii) Event and each Section
13(a) Event, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, specifying the event and the consequences of the
event to holders of Rights under Sections 11 and 13 hereof.

                                      27
<PAGE>

     Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
                 -------
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:

                       Virata Corporation
                       2933 Bunker Hill Lane, Suite 201
                       Santa Clara, California 95054
                       Attention: Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made to or on the Rights Agent (i) by the
Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent, postage prepaid, by
registered or certified mail, addressed to the principal office of the Rights
Agent as set forth below (until another address is filed in writing with the
Company) or (ii) by the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the
principal office of the Rights Agent as set forth below (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company), and shall be deemed given upon actual
receipt. The Company hereby agrees that it shall encourage the holders of the
Right Certificates, in any and all writings to such holders regarding the Rights
or this Agreement, to give or make any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement by registered or certified mail, addressed to the principal office of
the Rights Agent as follows (until another address is filed in writing with the
Company):

                       American Stock Transfer and Trust Company
                       59 Maiden Lane
                       New York, New York 10038

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

     Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.
                 --------------------------

     (a)  The Board of Directors of the Company may, from time to time, without
the approval of any holders of Rights, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any manner, whether or not such supplement or amendment is adverse
to any holder of Rights, and direct the Rights Agent so to supplement or amend
such provision, and the Rights Agent shall so supplement or amend such
provision; provided, however, that from and after the earliest of (i) the date
           --------  -------
of the first Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) the date of the first Section 13(a)
Event, (iii) the Redemption Date or (iv) the Expiration Date, this Agreement
shall not be supplemented or amended in any manner that would materially and
adversely affect any holder of outstanding Rights other than a 15% Stockholder
or a Surviving Person.

     (b)  From and after the earlier of the date of the first Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or the date of the first Section 13(a) Event and prior to the Rights
Expiration Date, the Company shall not effect any amendment to the Certificate
of Designations for the Preferred Shares that would

                                      28
<PAGE>

materially and adversely affect the rights, privileges or preferences of the
Preferred Shares without the prior approval of the holders of two-thirds or more
of the then outstanding Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights and duties of
the Rights Agent under this Agreement in any manner adverse to the Rights Agent
will be effective against the Rights Agent without the execution of such
supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.

     Section 28. Certain Covenants. Subject to Section 27 hereof and the other
                 -----------------
provisions of this Agreement, from and after the earlier of the date of the
first Section 11(a)(ii) Event or the date of the first Section 13(a) Event and
prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Expiration Date, the
Company shall not (a) issue or sell, or permit any Subsidiary to issue or sell,
to a 15% Stockholder or a Surviving Person, or any Affiliate or Associate of a
15% Stockholder or a Surviving Person, or any Person holding Voting Shares of
the Company that are Beneficially Owned by a 15% Stockholder or a Surviving
Person, (i) any rights, options, warrants or convertible securities on terms
similar to, or that materially adversely affect the value of, the Rights or (ii)
Preferred Shares, Common Shares or shares of any other class of capital stock,
if such sale is intended to or would materially adversely affect the value of
the Rights, or (b) take any other action that is intended to or would materially
adversely affect the value of the Rights.

     Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
                 ----------
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

     Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
                 --------------------------
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Right Certificates (other than those representing
Rights that have become null and void) and the certificates for Common Shares
representing Rights (other than those Rights that have become null and void) any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement, and this
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights
Agent and such registered holders of Right Certificates and certificates for
Common Shares representing Rights.

     Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
                 ------------
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

     Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued
                 -------------
hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such state applicable to contracts made and performed entirely
within such state, except as to the rights and obligations of the Rights Agent
which shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of New York.

                                      29
<PAGE>

     Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
                 ------------
counterparts and each such counterpart shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
same instrument.

     Section 34. Descriptive Headings.  Descriptive headings of the several
                 --------------------
sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

                                      30
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                                        VIRATA CORPORATION

                                        By:___________________________________
                                           Name:
                                           Title:

                                        AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST
                                        COMPANY, as Rights Agent

                                        By:___________________________________
                                           Name:
                                           Title:

                                      31
<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT A
                                   ---------

                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. _____                                          __________ Rights

     NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE LATER OF MAY 2, 2011 OR THE TENTH
     ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISTRIBUTION DATE (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE
     RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
     REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
     AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY
     A 15% STOCKHOLDER OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF A 15% STOCKHOLDER
     (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT AND AS THOSE
     CIRCUMSTANCES ARE SPECIFIED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY
     SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE
     RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE WERE ISSUED TO A PERSON
     WHO WAS A 15% STOCKHOLDER OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF A 15%
     STOCKHOLDER. THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY
     MAY BECOME VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN THE RIGHTS
     AGREEMENT.]*

                               Right Certificate

                              VIRATA CORPORATION

     This certifies that _______________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement dated as of May 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement") between Virata
Corporation , a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer and Trust Company, a trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time
after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement)
and prior to 5:00 P.M., California time, on the later of May 2, 2011 or the
tenth anniversary of the Distribution Date at the office or agency of the Rights
Agent at American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, 58 Maiden Lane, New York,
New York 10038, or at the office of its successors as Rights Agent, one one-ten
thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Preferred Stock,
$.01 par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at an exercise price of
$90.00 per Right (the "Exercise Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this
Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of
Preferred Shares that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above,
and the Exercise Price per share set forth

_________________________

  * That portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
    and shall replace the preceding sentence.

                                      32
<PAGE>

above, are the number and Exercise Price as of May 2, 2001, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.

         As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price and the number
of Preferred Shares that may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events. This Right Certificate is subject to all
of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Rights Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of Virata Corporation and the above-mentioned offices of the
Rights Agent.

         This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the office or agency of the Rights Agent at American Stock Transfer
and Trust Company, 58 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038, may be exchanged
for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the
Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may, but are not
required to, be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $.001 per
Right.

         No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions that are integral
multiples of one one-ten thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

         No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company that may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

         This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

         WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.  Dated as of _______________.

ATTEST:                                                VIRATA CORPORATION

                                      33
<PAGE>

____________________________                           _________________________
Secretary                                              President

Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Rights Agent

By:    ____________________________________
Title: ____________________________________

                                      34
<PAGE>

                   Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                              FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
                              ------------------

               (To be executed by the registered holder if such
              holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED _______________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
                  (Please print name and address of transferee)

________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:  ____________________, ____

                                                ________________________________
                                                Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

         Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(bank, stock broker, savings and loan association or credit union) with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to
Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not Beneficially Owned by a 15% Stockholder or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                                ________________________________
                                                Signature

                                                (Signature must conform in all
                                                respects to name of holder as
                                                specified on the face of this
                                                Right Certificate in every
                                                particular, without alteration
                                                or enlargement or any change
                                                whatsoever)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                      35
<PAGE>

            Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                          ----------------------------

                      (To be executed if holder desires to
                        exercise the Right Certificate.)

TO VIRATA CORPORATION:

         The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares or
other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Preferred Shares or other securities be issued in the
following name:

                (please print name, address and social security,
                 tax identification or other identifying number:

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

                (please print name, address and social security,
                 tax identification or other identifying number:

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

              ____________________________________________________

Dated: __________________________

                                             ________________________________
                                             Signature

                                             (Signature must conform in all
                                             respects to name of holder as
                                             specified on the face of this Right
                                             Certificate in every particular,
                                             without alteration or enlargement
                                             or any change whatsoever)

             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                                      36
<PAGE>

Signature Guarantee:

         Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(bank, stock broker, savings and loan association or credit union) with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to
Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not Beneficially Owned by a 15% Stockholder or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                            __________________________________
                                            Signature

                                            (Signature must conform in all
                                            respects to name of holder as
                                            specified on the face of this Right
                                            Certificate in every particular,
                                            without alteration or enlargement or
                                            any change whatsoever)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    NOTICE
                                    ------

         The signatures in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

         In the event the certification set forth above in the Forms of
Assignment and Election is not completed, the Company will deem the Beneficial
Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be a 15% Stockholder
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and,
in the case of an Assignment, will affix a legend to that effect on any Right
Certificates issued in exchange for this Right Certificate.

                                      37<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT 4.2

                          Certificate of Designations
                          ---------------------------

                                      38
<PAGE>

                          CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

                                      OF

                           SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

                          (Par Value $.01 Per Share)

                                      OF

                              VIRATA CORPORATION

                              __________________

                        Pursuant to Section 151 of the
               General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

                              __________________

     Virata Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), certifies
                                                      -----------
that pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the
Company (the "Board of Directors") by the Certificate of Incorporation of the
              ------------------
Company (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), and in accordance with the
              ----------------------------
provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, as amended (the "GCL"), the Board of Directors, on April 27, 2001,
                           ---
adopted the following resolution creating a series of its Preferred Stock, par
value $.01 per share:

     RESOLVED, that (1) pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors of the Corporation by the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby designates 500,000 shares of the
preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation as "Series A
Preferred Stock" (the "Preferred Shares"), and the powers, designations,
                       ----------------
preferences and relative, participating, optional and other rights of the
Preferred Shares and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof,
be, and they hereby are, as set forth below (the "Certificate of Designations")
                                                  ---------------------------
and (2) in connection therewith, the officers of the Corporation be, and each of
them hereby is, authorized, empowered and directed on behalf of the Corporation
and in its name to execute and file the Certificate of Designations with the
Delaware Secretary of State:

     Section 1.   Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
                  ----------------------
designated as "Series A Preferred Stock" and the number of shares constituting
such series so designated shall be 500,000 (the "Series A Preferred Stock").
                                                 ------------------------
Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board
of Directors; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of
              --------  -------
shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares
then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the
exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of
any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
Preferred Stock.

     Section 2.   Dividends and Distributions.
                  ---------------------------

     (a)  Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series
A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of

                                      39
<PAGE>

shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
                                                       ------------
Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when,
as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for
the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March,
June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to
herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first
             -------------------------------
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction
of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $.25 per share ($1.00 per annum) or
(ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times
the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 10,000 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such event the amount to which the holder of each share of
Series A Preferred Stock was entitled immediately prior to such event under
clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such
event.

     (b)  The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2 immediately
after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that, in the
                                             --------  -------
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $.25 per share ($1.00
per annum) on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

     (c)  Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such
shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which event dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the
date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which
events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall cumulate but
shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred
Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time
accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-
share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

                                      40
<PAGE>

     Section 3.   Voting Rights.  The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
                  -------------
Stock shall have the following voting rights:

     (a)  Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 10,000
votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted
by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to such event.

     (b)  Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Corporation's Certificate
of Incorporation, as amended (the "Charter"), in any other certificate of
                                   -------
designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or by
law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares
of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general
voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

     (c)  Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders
of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.

     Section 4.   Certain Restrictions.
                  --------------------

     (a)  Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not authorized or declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding
shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not, directly or indirectly:

          (i)    authorize, declare or pay dividends on, or make any other
distributions with respect to, any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock;

          (ii)   authorize, declare or pay dividends on, or make any other
distributions with respect to, any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series
A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock
and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in
proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;

          (iii)  redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or

                                      41
<PAGE>

otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any
stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

          (iv)   redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity
with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer
made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to
all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights
and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.

     (b)  The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration, directly or indirectly, any
shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph
(a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time
and in such manner.

     Section 5.   Reacquired Shares.  Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
                  -----------------
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the
Charter, in any other certificate of designations creating a series of Preferred
Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

     Section 6.   Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  Upon any liquidation,
                  --------------------------------------
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to:
(i) the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have received the greater of (A) $10,000.00 per share ($1.00 per one one-ten
thousandth of a share), plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, or
(B) an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed per share of Common Stock to holders thereof; or (ii) the holders of
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except
distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity
stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares
are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such event the
aggregate amount to which each holder of a share of Series A Preferred Stock was
entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (i) of the preceding
sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                                      42
<PAGE>

     Section 7.   Consolidation, Merger or Other.  In the event the Corporation
                  ------------------------------
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property or otherwise changed, then in any
such event each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such event the amount set forth in the preceding sentence
with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event, and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     Section 8.   No Redemption.  The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
                  -------------
not be redeemable.

     Section 9.   Rank.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect
                  ----
to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series
or classes of the Corporation's Preferred Stock whether issued before or after
the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock.

     Section 10.  Amendment.  The Charter shall not be amended in any manner
                  ---------
that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights
of the Series A Preferred Stock, as set forth herein, so as to affect them
adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of
the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single
class.

                                      43
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Virata Corporation has caused this Certificate of
Designations to be executed on its behalf by its Chief Financial Officer, Senior
Vice President, Finance and Administration, and Secretary, Andrew M. Vought, and
attested to by its Assistant Secretary, Steven Moore, this fourth day of May,
2000.

                                    VIRATA CORPORATION

                                    By: __________________________________
                                          Name:  Andrew M. Vought
                                          Title: Chief Financial Officer, Senior
                                                 Vice President, Finance and
                                                 Administration, and Secretary

     THE UNDERSIGNED, the Assistant Secretary of Virata Corporation , hereby
acknowledges, in the name and on behalf of said corporation, the foregoing
Certificate of Designations to be the corporate act of said corporation and
further certifies that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief,
the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the approval thereof or
otherwise required to be verified under oath are true in all material respects,
under the penalties of perjury.

By: ____________________________________
      Name:  Steven Moore
      Title: Assistant Secretary

                                      44

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