3Com Reiterates Commitment to Mobile Connectivity With New Product Family, New Leadership and New Facility
NEW YORK — June 27, 2000 — 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today reiterated its commitment to the mobile computing industry by announcing new leadership for its Mobile Connectivity Division, expanding its award-winning line of PC Cards and breaking ground on a new mobile facility in Salt Lake City. These activities signal the importance of mobile connectivity in the company's strategy of delivering solutions that provide customers simple and reliable network connections.
3Com recently appointed Rick Maule as vice president and general manager of its Mobile Connectivity Division. Based in Salt Lake City, Maule will be responsible for maintaining 3Com's leadership in mobile connectivity and driving the development of next-generation solutions that keep customers connected "on the go." Maule's broad technology background includes more than 25 years of experience in strategy-building, business development, marketing and engineering — making him the perfect choice to direct the new technology initiatives of the highly innovative Mobile Connectivity Division.
"The phenomenal growth of mobile devices and applications, coupled with an increased reliance on network access, has carved out a sweet spot' for 3Com's mobile connectivity products," said Maule. "We will continue to help our consumer and business customers capitalize on the benefits of mobile computing by equipping them with best-of-breed connectivity solutions — regardless of form factor."
Focus On the Connection, Not the Connector
In response to overwhelming customer feedback, 3Com plans to augment its mobile offering with a new family of Type III PC Cards with integrated connectors that eliminate the need for extra cables. The new products will deliver the same superior performance of 3Com's mobile connectivity solutions, while giving customers a choice of form factor to meet their unique needs — whether they prefer network connectivity from PC Cards with cables, built-in or XJACK(R) connector, or require Mini PCI or Compact Flash solutions.
The 3Com(R) 10/100 LAN+56K Global Modem CardBus Type III PC Card is designed to provide the fastest and most reliable connectivity from virtually anywhere in the world — whether dialing up from a hotel in Prague or connecting to the network in a branch office in Chicago. It features a 32-bit laptop interface (CardBus) that delivers up to twenty times faster throughput than conventional PC Cards.
Owning 41 percent of the worldwide PC Card market/1, 3Com strives to simplify installation and upgrade processes for its existing customers base. For example, 3Com's new Type III PC Card uses the same software drivers as its recently announced combo card with autosensing XJACK connector (model no. 3CXFEM656C). Such interchangeability is especially attractive to corporate IT departments that wish to offer a choice of networking options to their laptop users without a time consuming reinstallation process.
Simplicity Key for Road Warriors and IT Managers
3Com's latest offering simplifies network connectivity for mobile professionals with a variety of rich software features, such as:
— WorldPort(TM) country selection software — Allows users to configure the modem for phone lines worldwide by simply clicking on the appropriate flag or country name.
— Mobile Connection Manager — Delivers one-step configuration, saving time and helping to lower total cost of ownership for IS managers and mobile workers.
— GSM wireless connection manager — Works with mobile data applications from Nokia and Ericsson to automatically route data calls to a GSM handset if one is present — without requiring the user to reconfigure the system.
Later this summer, 3Com will further expand its Type III PC Card family with the 3Com 10/100 LAN CardBus Type III PC Card. Like all 3Com LAN and combo PC Cards, it utilizes exclusive technology to improve the speed and reliability of network connections, including:
— Parallel Tasking(R) II technology — allows for a continuous data stream from the network to the host PC, providing faster data throughput and improved overall network performance
— Managed PC Boot Agent — helps network managers control their remote systems with enhanced management capabilities that reduce support calls and help lower total cost of ownership for mobile computers.
The 3Com 10/100 LAN+56K Global Modem CardBus Type III PC Card (model no. 3C3FEM656C) is scheduled to be available in August, 2000 for a list price of $269. The 3Com 10/100 LAN CardBus Type III PC Card (model no. 3C3FE575CT) is scheduled to be available this fall for a list price of $189. Both cards will support the most popular corporate operating systems, including Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 and 2000.
Further demonstrating its commitment to its mobile business, 3Com has begun construction of a new mobile facility near Salt Lake City. The new site will house 300 employees dedicated to the development, manufacturing and marketing of cutting-edge mobile LAN, modem, Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless solutions. Completion of the 78,000 square foot facility is expected in December, 2000.
About 3Com Corporation
With more than 300 million customer connections worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people and organizations to information and each other in more innovative, simple and reliable ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers web-enabled solutions to consumers, small- to medium-sized business locations and network service providers. For more information, visit 3Com's web site at www.3com.com/pressbox.
3Com, XJACK and Parallel Tasking are registered trademarks and WorldPort is a trademark of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
/1: According to Cahners In-Stat, May 2000
CONTACT:
3Com
Molly Mulloy, 408/326-3021 molly_mulloy@3com.com