EXHIBIT 1.1

                                                            [WSGR DRAFT 7/22/98]

                               5,000,000 SHARES

                      METAWAVE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                  COMMON STOCK

                              ($0.0001 PAR VALUE)


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                        
_______________, 1998


BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
  As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
135 East Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Gentlemen:

     Metawave Communications Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I
hereto (the "Underwriters") for whom you are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives") an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of the Company's Common
Stock, $0.0001 par value (the "Firm Shares").  The respective amounts of the
Firm Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth
opposite their names in Schedule I hereto.  The Company also proposes to sell at
the Underwriters' option an aggregate of up to 750,000 additional shares of
the Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares") as set forth below.

     As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters
and to act on their behalf in the manner herein provided and (b) that the
several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase
the numbers of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule
I, plus their pro rata portion of the Option Shares if you elect to exercise the
over-allotment option in whole 

 
or in part for the accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and the
Option Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein
collectively called the "Shares."

     In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:

     1.   Representations and Warranties of the Company.

          The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as
follows:

          (a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-______) with
respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in conformity in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations")
of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has
been filed with the Commission.  Copies of such registration statement,
including any amendments thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the
requirements of the Rules and Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits,
financial statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have
heretofore been delivered by the Company to you.  Such registration statement,
together with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule
462 (b) of the Act, herein referred to as the "Registration Statement," which
shall be deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon
Rule 430A and contained in the Prospectus referred to below, has become
effective under the Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement has been filed as of the date of this Agreement.  "Prospectus" means
(a) the form of prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) or (b) the last preliminary prospectus included in the Registration
Statement filed prior to the time it becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule
424(a) under the Act that is delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for
delivery to purchasers of the Shares, together with the term sheet or
abbreviated term sheet filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7)
under the Act.  Each preliminary prospectus included in the Registration
Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is herein referred to as a
"Preliminary Prospectus." Any reference herein to the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
include any supplements or amendments to any Prospectus, filed with the
Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rules 424(b) or
430A, and prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the
Underwriters.

          (b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement.  The Company is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of
their business requires such qualification except where the failure to so
qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the business, properties,
assets, rights, operations, financial condition or results of operation of the
Company. The Company has no subsidiaries and owns no 

                                       3

 
shares of stock or any other equity securities of any corporation or have any
equity interest in any firm, partnership, association or entity.

          (c) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the
Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and when
issued and paid for as contemplated herein will be validly issued, fully paid
and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect
to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof.  Neither the filing of the
Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by
this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived
or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock.

          (d) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in
the Prospectus is true and correct.  All of the Shares conform to the
description set forth in "Description of Securities" in the Prospectus, insofar
as it purports to constitute a summary of the Shares.  The form of certificates
for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the jurisdiction of the
Company's incorporation.

          (e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending
the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Shares nor
instituted proceedings for that purpose.  The Registration Statement contains,
and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all
statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform in all
material respects, to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
The Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will
not contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will
not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.  The Prospectus and any amendments and
supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement
of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.

          (f) The financial statements of the Company, together with related
notes and schedules as set forth in the Registration Statement, present fairly
the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the
Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the
indicated periods.  Such financial statements and related schedules have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting,
consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed
herein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for
such periods have been made.  The summary financial and statistical data

                                       4

 
included in the Registration Statement presents fairly the information shown
therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial
statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company.  [The pro
forma financial information included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in
accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma
financial statements, have been properly compiled on the pro forma bases
described therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the assumptions used in
the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are
appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances referred to
therein.]

          (g) Ernst & Young LLP, who have expressed their opinion with respect
to the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the
Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the
Act and the Rules and Regulations.

          (h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company before any court or
administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company
might result in any material adverse change in the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, financial condition or
prospects of the Company or to prevent the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration Statement.

          (i) The Company has good and marketable title to all of the properties
and assets reflected in the financial statements (or as described in the
Registration Statement) hereinabove described, subject to no lien, mortgage,
pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such
financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) or which
are not material in amount.  The Company occupies its leased properties under
valid and binding leases conforming in all material respects to the description
thereof set forth in the Registration Statement.

          (j) The Company has filed all Federal, State, local and foreign income
tax returns which have been required to be filed and has paid all taxes
indicated by said returns and all assessments received by them or any of them to
the extent that such taxes have become due.  All tax liabilities have been
adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company.

          (k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, there has not been
any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, rights, operations, financial condition or prospects of the Company,
whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not
been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is
probable of being entered into by the Company, other than transactions in the
ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the
Registration Statement, as it may be amended 

                                       5

 
or supplemented. The Company has no material contingent obligations which are
not disclosed in the Company's financial statements which are included in the
Registration Statement.

          (l) The Company is not nor with the giving of notice or lapse of time
or both, will be, in violation of or in default under its Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws or under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or
other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of
its properties, is bound and which default is of material significance in
respect of the financial condition of the Company or the business, management,
properties, assets, rights, operations, financial condition or prospects of the
Company.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof
will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions
of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company, or of the Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or any order, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company of any court or of any regulatory body or
administrative agency or other governmental body; except where such conflict,
breach, violation or default would not have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
financial condition or prospects of the Company.

          (m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such
additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering
by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained
or made and is in full force and effect.

          (n) The Company owns or possesses sufficient licenses or other rights
to use all patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, trade
names, technology, know-how or other proprietary information or materials
necessary to the conduct of the business now being conducted by the Company as
described in the Prospectus.  The Company holds all material licenses,
certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to
the conduct of its business.  The Company knows of no material infringement by
others of patents, patent rights, trade names, trademarks or copyrights owned by
or licensed to the Company.  Except as specifically disclosed in the Prospectus,
the Company has sufficient, or can acquire on commercially reasonable terms,
trademarks, trade names, patent rights, mask works, copyrights, licenses,
approvals and governmental authorizations to conduct its business as now
conducted and as proposed to be conducted; and the Company has no knowledge of
any infringement by it of any trademark, trade name, patent right, mask work,
copyright, license, trade secret or other similar right of others, and, to the
Company's knowledge, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no claim has been
made against the Company regarding trademark, trade name, patent, mask work,
copyright, license, trade secret or other infringement which could have a
material 

                                       6

 
adverse effect on the financial condition, business or results of operations of
the Company.

          (o) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge, any of
its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares.
          (p) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning of
such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder.

          (q) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.

          (r) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts
and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its respective
business and the value of their respective properties.

          (s) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of
such qualification.

          (t) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 

                                       7

 
517.075 of Laws of the State of Florida.

          (u) The Company is conducting its business in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is
conducting business, including, without limitation all applicable rules and
regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and all applicable local,
state and federal environmental laws and regulations; except where failure to be
so in compliance could not materially adversely affect the financial condition,
business or results of operations of the Company.

     2.   Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Firm Shares.

          (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $_____ per share, the number of Firm
Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof,
subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 10 hereof.

          (b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in
New York Clearing House funds by certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to the
order of the Company against delivery of certificates therefor to the
Representatives for the several accounts of the Underwriters.  Such payment and
delivery are to be made at the offices of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated, 1 South
Street, Baltimore, Maryland, at 10:00 a.m., Baltimore time, on the third
business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not
later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree
upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date."  (As
used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is
open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and are
not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)  The certificates for the
Firm Shares will be delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as
the Representatives request in writing not later than the second full business
day prior to the Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the
Representatives at least one business day prior to the Closing Date.

          (c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase the
Option Shares at the price per share as set forth in the first paragraph of this
Section 2.  The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by
giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once
thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, to 

                                       8

 
the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which the several
Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the
Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which such
certificates are to be delivered. The time and date at which certificates for
Option Shares are to be delivered shall be determined by the Representatives but
shall not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full business days after the
exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time
and date being herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of
exercise of the option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice
of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The number of
Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in the same
proportion to the total number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of
Firm Shares being purchased by such Underwriter bears to 5,000,000, adjusted by
you in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with respect to the
Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover over-allotments
in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. You, as Representatives of
the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the
extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the Option Shares
shall be made on the Option Closing Date in New York Clearing House funds by
certified or bank cashier's check drawn to the order of the Company against
delivery of certificates therefor at the offices of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated,
1 South Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

          (d) The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") as, and Merrill Lynch
hereby confirms its Agreement with the Company to render services as, a
"Qualified Independent Underwriter," within the meaning of Section (b)(15) of
Rule 2720 of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect
to the offering and sale of the Shares.  Merrill Lynch, solely in its capacity
has the Qualified Independent Underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to
herein as the "QIU."  The price at which the Shares will be sold to the public
shall not be greater than the maximum price recommended by the QIU.

     3.   Offering by the Underwriters.

          It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to
do so.  The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus.  The Representatives may from
time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms.  To the extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, the Underwriters will offer them to the public on the
foregoing terms.

          It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for
the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a
Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.

                                       9

 
     4.   Covenants of the Company.

          The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

          (a) The Company will (i) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, (ii) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (iii) file on a timely basis all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed
by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and
prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.

          (b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have become
effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any
request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose.  The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

          (c) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in endeavoring
to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing and will make
such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be
reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required
to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file
such a consent.  The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such
statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue
such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representatives may
reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.

          (d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request.  The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representatives may
reasonably request.  The Company will deliver to the Representatives at or
before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the 

                                       10

 
Registration Statement and all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed
therewith, and will deliver to the Representatives such number of copies of the
Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed
therewith that may reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as
the Representatives may reasonably request.

          (e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus.  If during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if
it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an
appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the
light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that
the Prospectus will comply with the law.

          (f) The Company will make generally available to its security holders,
as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months
after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning statement
(which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of at least
12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the Registration
Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section
11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will advise you
in writing when such statement has been so made available.

          (g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing
Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports and copies of all
other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  The Company will deliver to the
Representatives similar reports with respect to significant subsidiaries, as
that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations, which are not consolidated in
the Company's financial statements.

          (h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) will be made during the period commencing on the
date of this Agreement and ending on the one hundred eightieth (180th) day after
the date of the Prospectus, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise
than (i) hereunder, (ii) with the prior written consent of BT Alex. Brown
Incorporated, or (iii) pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants to
purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to the stock option or stock purchase
plans of the Company 

                                       11

 
or outstanding warrants of the Company which are described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.

          (i) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice
of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market.

          (j) The Company has caused each officer and director and certain
security holders of the Company who beneficially own in the aggregate more than
98% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company to furnish to you,
on or prior to the date of this Agreement, a letter or letters, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person
shall agree not to offer, sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any shares of
Common Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company, or any other
securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or
derivative of Common Shares owned by such person or request the registration for
the offer or sale of any of the foregoing  (or as to which such person has the
right to direct the disposition of) for a period of 180 days after the date of
the Prospectus, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of
BT Alex. Brown Incorporated ("Lockup Agreements").  In addition, in connection
with any exercise of options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to the
stock option or stock purchase plans of the Company during such 180 day period,
the Company shall cause each optionee to enter into a Lockup Agreement.

          (k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Shares
as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the Commission
with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds
therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.

          (l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would
require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

          (m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under
the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Common
Stock.

          (n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.

          (o) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in the filing of a registration statement on Form S-
8 under the Act covering shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the
Company's stock option, stock purchase or other employee benefit plans for a
period of 180 days after the date of this Prospectus.

                                       12

 
     5.   Costs and Expenses.

          The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following:  accounting
fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; the
cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies
of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this
Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling Memorandum, the Underwriters' Invitation
Letter, the Listing Application, the Blue Sky Survey and any supplements or
amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission; the filing fees and
expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) incident to securing any
required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the
"NASD") of the terms of the sale of the Shares; the Listing Fee of the Nasdaq
National Market; the reasonable fees and expenses of the QIU (including the fees
and disbursements of counsel to the QIU); and the expenses, including the fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incurred in connection with
the qualification of the Shares under State securities or Blue Sky laws.  The
Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incident to
the offer and sale of directed shares of the Common Stock by the Underwriters to
employees and persons having business relationships with the Company and its
Subsidiaries.  The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the
Underwriters expenses (other than those related to qualification under NASD
regulation and State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement
shall not be consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are not
satisfied, or because this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives
pursuant to Section 11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability
on the part of the Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition
of this Agreement or to comply with any of the terms hereof on its part to be
performed, unless such failure to satisfy said condition or to comply with said
terms be due to the default or omission of any Underwriter, then the Company
shall reimburse the several Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses,
including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in
connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Shares or
in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company
shall not in any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages
on account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Shares.

     6.   Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.

          The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm
Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing
Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants and
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

          (a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and 

                                       13

 
Regulations shall have been made, and any request of the Commission for
additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or
otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and complied with to
their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of
the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission and no injunction,
restraining order, or order of any nature by a Federal or state court of
competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would
prevent the issuance of the Shares.

          (b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Venture Law Group, A
Professional Corporation, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and
stating that it may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect
that:

               (i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; and the Company is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of
their business requires such qualification, or in which the failure to qualify
would have a materially adverse effect upon the business of the Company.

               (ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as
set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the authorized
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the outstanding
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained under the heading "Description of
Securities--Common Stock" in the Prospectus; the certificates for the Shares,
assuming they are in the form filed with the Commission, are in due and proper
form; the shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares, if any, to be
sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when issued and paid for
as contemplated by this Agreement; and no preemptive rights of stockholders
exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue or sale thereof.

               (iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no
outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character
obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit

                                       14

 
them to underwrite the sale of, any of the Shares or the right to have any
Common Shares or other securities of the Company included in the Registration
Statement or the right, as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement,
to require registration under the Act of any shares of Common Stock or other
securities of the Company.

               (iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings
with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Act.

               (v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment
or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder
(except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements
and related schedules therein).

               (vi) The statements under the captions "Risk Factors--Shares
Eligible for Future Sale After the Offering," "--Control by Existing
Shareholders," "Management--Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
Matters," "--Severance Arrangements," "Certain Transactions," "Description of
Securities" and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" in the Prospectus, insofar as
such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters
of law, fairly summarize in all material respects the information called for
with respect to such documents and matters.

               (vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described
as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material
respects.

               (viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company except as set forth in the
Prospectus.

               (ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Company, or any agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the
Company or is a party or by which the Company may be bound, except where such
conflicts, breach or default would not have the material adverse effect on the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations or
financial condition of the Company .

               (x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.

                                       15

 
               (xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by State securities
and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such
as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.

               (xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.

          In rendering such opinion Venture Law Group, A Professional
Corporation, may rely as to matters governed by the laws of states other than
Delaware, Washington or Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions,
provided that in each case Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation, shall
state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying
on such other counsel.  In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion
shall also include a statement to the effect that, [ALTHOUGH SUCH COUNSEL DOES
NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR FAIRNESS OF THE
STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS,] nothing
has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that (i)
the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective under the Act (but
after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule
430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement
thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express
no view as to financial statements, related notes, schedules and other financial
information derived therefrom).  With respect to such statement, Venture Law
Group, A Professional Corporation may state that their belief is based upon the
procedures set forth therein, but is without independent check and verification.

          (c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, dated the Closing Date, with respect to
certain intellectual property matters, to the effect that:

               (i) The Company owns all patents, trademarks, trademark
registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, trade names,
copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and rights described in the
Prospectus as being owned by it or necessary for the conduct of its business,
and such counsel is not aware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by
any other person to the rights of the Company with respect to the foregoing
other than those identified in the Prospectus.

                                       16

               (ii) Such counsel is not aware of any legal actions, claims or
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company alleging that the Company
is infringing or otherwise violating any patents or trade secrets owned by
others other than those identified in the Prospectus.
 
               (iii) Such counsel has reviewed the descriptions of patents and
patent applications under the captions "Risk Factors--Uncertainty Regarding
Protection of Intellectual Property" and "Business--Intellectual Property" in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and, to the extent they constitute
matters of law or legal conclusions, these descriptions are accurate and fairly
and completely present the patent situation of the Company.

               (iv) Such counsel is aware of nothing that causes such counsel to
believe that, as of the date that the Registration Statement became effective
and as of the date of such opinion, the description of patents and patent
applications under the captions "Risk Factors--Uncertainty Regarding Protection
of Intellectual Property" and "Business--Intellectual Property" in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus contained or contains any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, including without limitation, any undisclosed
material issue with respect to the subsequent validity or enforceability of such
patent or patent issuing from any such pending patent application.

          (d) The Representatives shall have received from Wilson Sonsini
Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to
the effect specified in subparagraphs [(iv) and (v)] of Paragraph (b) of this
Section 6, and that the Company is a duly organized and validly existing
corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware.  In rendering such opinion
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. may rely as to all matters governed other
than by the laws of the State of California, the State of Delaware or Federal
laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this Section 6.
In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a
statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel
which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any
amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under the Act (but after
giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A
under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement
thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact,
necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express
no view as to financial statements, related notes, schedules and other financial
information therein).  With respect to such statement, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich &
Rosati, P.C. may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth
therein, but is without independent check and verification.

                                       17

 
          (e) The Representatives shall have received at or prior to the Closing
Date from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., a memorandum or summary, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the
qualification for offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Shares under the
State securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives
may reasonably have designated to the Company.

          (f) You shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date
hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form
and substance satisfactory to you, of Ernst & Young LLP confirming that they are
independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their opinion the
financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in the
Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules
and Regulations; and containing such other statements and information as is
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

          (g) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, each of them severally represents as follows:

                  (i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registrations
Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken
or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;

                  (ii) The representations and warranties of the Company
contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be;

                  (iii)  All filings required to have been made pursuant to
Rules 424 or 430A under the Act have been made;

                  (iv) He has carefully examined the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and, in his opinion, as of the effective date of the Registration
Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement were true and
correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading, and since the effective date of the
Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth
in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set
forth in such supplement or amendment; and

                                       18

 
                  (v) Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any
material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, financial condition or prospects of the Company, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business.

          (h) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably have requested.

          (i) The Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, have been approved for
designation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.

          (j) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4 (j) are in full force
and effect.

          The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects satisfactory to the Representatives and to Wilson Sonsini
Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters.

          If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representatives by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or
by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be.

          In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).

     7.   Conditions of the Obligations of the Company.

          The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the
Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.

     8.   Indemnification.

          (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such
Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions 

                                       19

 
or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter and
each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability,
action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry
related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or
controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding; provided, however,
that (i) the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof and (ii) the indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph (a) with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall
not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense purchased the Shares which is the
subject thereof (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter)
if at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares a copy of
the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented) was not sent or
delivered to such person and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact
contained in such Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented). This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

          (b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer, or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the 

                                       20

 
Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may
otherwise have.

          (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing.  No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b).  In case any
such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified
party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel
related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall
have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense.  Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days
of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the
indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have
failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified
party within a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the
action.  It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection
with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable
for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all such
indemnified parties.  Such firm shall be designated in writing by you in the
case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the
case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b).  The indemnifying party
shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its
written consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment
for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or
judgment.  In addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding
of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified
party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding)
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action
or proceeding.

          (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any 

                                       21

 
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering
of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also
the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the
total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in
each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to
the aggregate public offering price of the Shares. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.

          The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(d).  The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred
to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions
applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters' obligations in this
Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.

          (e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.

                                       22

 
          (f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred.  The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement.  A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.

     9.   Indemnification of QIU.

          (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the QIU, its
directors, its officers and each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments
(including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses incurred in
connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any action,
that could give rise to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments) related to, based upon or arising out of (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) the QIU's
activities as QIU under its engagement pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

          (b) In case any action shall be commenced in any person in respect of
which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a) (the "QIU Indemnified
Party"), the QIU Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing
and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the QIU Indemnified Party and
the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred.  Any QIU
Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of the QIU Indemnified Party unless (i) the
employment of such counsel shall have been specifically authorized in writing by
the Company, (ii) the Company shall have failed to assume the defense of such
action or employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the QIU Indemnified Party or
(iii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties)
include both the QIU Indemnified Party and the Company, and the QIU Indemnified
Party shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more
legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those
available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to
assume the defense of such 

                                       23

 
action on behalf of the QIU Indemnified Party). In any such case, the Company
shall not, in connection with any one action or separate but substantially
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of
more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for
all QIU Indemnified Parties, which firm shall be designated by the QIU, and all
such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. The Company
shall indemnify and hold harmless the QUI Indemnified Party from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments by reason of any
settlement of any action (i) effected with its written consent or (ii) effected
without its written consent if the settlement is entered into more than twenty
business days after the Company shall have received a request from the QIU
Indemnified Party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses of counsel (in any
case where such fees and expenses are at the expense of the Company) and, prior
to the date of such settlement, the Company shall have failed to comply with
such reimbursement request. The Company shall not, without the prior written
consent of the QIU Indemnified Party, effect any settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened
action in respect of which the QIU Indemnified Party is or could have been a
party and indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder
by the QIU Indemnified Party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the QIU Indemnified Party from all
liability on claims that are or could have been the subject matter of such
action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the QIU Indemnified Party.

          (c) To the extent that the indemnification provided for in this
Section 9 is unavailable to a QIU Indemnified Party or insufficient in respect
of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein,
then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying such QIU Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such QIU Indemnified Party as a
result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other hand from the offering of the
Shares.  If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the QIU on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company as set forth in the table on the cover page of
the Prospectus, and the fee received by the QIU pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof,
bear to the sum of such total net proceeds and such fee.  The relative fault of
the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other hand shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company or the QIU and the parties
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission.

                                       24

 
          The Company and the QIU agree that is would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 9(c) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
The amount paid or payable to a QIU Indemnified Party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such QIU Indemnified Party
in connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any action,
that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

          (d) The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and
shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any
QIU Indemnified Party at law or in equity.

     10.  Default by Underwriters.

          If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares
which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as
Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use your reasonable efforts to
procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any
others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon
the terms set forth herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase.  If
during such 36 hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such
other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares,
as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you
as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have the right, by written
notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to
terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting
Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in Section 8
hereof.  In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set
forth in this Section 10, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as
Representatives, may determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be 

                                       25

 
effected. The term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a
defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve
any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.

     11.  Notices.

          All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as
otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed
and confirmed as follows:  if to the Underwriters, to BT Alex. Brown
Incorporated, 1 South Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, Attention:
________________; with a copy to BT Alex. Brown Incorporated, 1 South Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Attention: General Counsel; if to the Company, to

                  Robert H. Hunsberger
                  President and Chief Executive Officer
                  and
                  Kathy Surace-Smith,
                  General Counsel
                  Metawave Communications Corporation
                  8700-148th Avenue N.E.
                  Redmond, Washington 98052-3482

     12.  Termination.

          This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Company as
follows:

          (a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the Shares are
released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30 a.m. on
the first business day following the date of this Agreement;

          (b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the
condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, financial condition or prospects of the Company, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or declaration of war or national emergency or other national or
international calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions
if the effect of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity,
crisis or change on the financial markets of the United States would, in your
reasonable judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce
contracts for the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock
Exchange or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of
days of trading) for securities on either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment,
publication, decree or 

                                       26

 
other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or
other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely
affects or may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the
Company, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York
State authorities, (vi) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt
securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the
suspension of trading of the Company's Common Stock by the Commission on the
Nasdaq National Market or (viii) the taking of any action by any governmental
body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your
reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in
the United States; or

          (c) as provided in Sections 6 and 10 of this Agreement.

     13.  Successors.

          This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and the QIU Indemnified Parties and no other person
will have any right or obligation hereunder.  No purchaser of any of the Shares
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of
such purchase.

     14.  Information Provided by Underwriters.

          The Company, and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for
inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists of the
information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page (insofar as
such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(d)
of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus.

     15.  Miscellaneous.

          The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, any QIU Indemnified Party or by or on
behalf of the Company or its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and
payment for the Shares under this Agreement.

          This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

          This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Maryland.

                                       27

 
     If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.


                                 Very truly yours,

                                       METAWAVE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION


                                       By
                                          ----------------------------------
                                           Robert H. Hunsberger
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer


The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.

BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I

By: BT Alex. Brown Incorporated


By:
    ----------------------------
     Authorized Officer

                                       28

 
                                  SCHEDULE 1

                           SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS

                                                                NUMBER OF FIRM
                                                                 SHARES TO BE
                UNDERWRITER                                        PURCHASED
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 BT Alex. Brown Incorporated...................................
 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated............
 NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC.........................



                                                               --------------- 
   Total.......................................................
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