3Com and PictureTel Announce Strategic Partnership

COMPANIES TO DELIVER LAN-BASED MULTIMEDIA SOLUTIONS

SANTA CLARA, Calif., and DANVERS, Mass. -- April 2, 1996 -- 3Com
Corporation, the worldwide leader in network connectivity, (NASDAQ: COMS),
and PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ: PCTL), the global leader in
videoconferencing, today announced they have entered into a strategic
partnership designed to transition today's local area network (LAN)
environment into a powerful multimedia environment. The companies will
work closely in a continuing effort to offer high-performance network and
conferencing technology to the market to create ever more powerful LAN
environments capable of handling all types of information in real time.

As part of the first phase of this strategic partnership, the companies
will provide a product bundle that will deliver PictureTel LAN-based data
conferencing to 3Com network interface card users at no additional cost,
as well as low-cost upgrades to full videoconferencing. Future activities
between the two companies will include leveraging each company's
strengths, such as marketing, distribution and technology.

"As a world leader in Ethernet network interface cards and switches, 3Com
is able to envision and deliver breakthrough networking solutions which
enable the pervasive use of LAN-based multimedia," said Doug Spreng,
executive vice president of 3Com's Personal Connectivity Operation.
"Working with PictureTel, as the best in class in videoconferencing, lets
us deliver a high-quality conferencing solution to run over these
multimedia optimized networks."

PictureTel believes this strategic partnership will accelerate the
acceptance of both data conferencing and videoconferencing, according to
Dom LaCava, vice president of PictureTel's Enterprise Systems Group.

"PictureTel has long been the global leader in group videoconferencing. In
the past two years, we've become the leader in ISDN-based desktop
videoconferencing. Now, by partnering with 3Com, we are going to grow the
market for data conferencing and videoconferencing on the LAN. We will
work together to become the leaders in this emerging market segment," said
LaCava.

"3Com's decision to form an alliance with PictureTel clearly validates that
videoconferencing can be integrated within existing networks. And 3Com's
extensive distribution channels will be a valuable tool for driving data
and video technologies for the LAN to the marketplace," he said.

In the initial phase of the relationship, the two industry leaders will
eliminate acceptance and cost barriers by enabling users to try
PictureTel's award-winning LiveShare Plus data-conferencing software free
of charge, via 3Com's PACER enabled Parallel Tasking network interface
cards. LiveShare Plus enables PC users in separate locations to work
jointly in real-time on data files using application sharing or a
whiteboard, as well as to transfer files or share messages on a common
clipboard. PictureTel and 3Com also are offering low- cost upgrades to
PictureTel's LiveLAN-V videoconferencing starter kit. LiveLAN-V enables PC
users to videoconference with others throughout a local area network
environment.

The 3Com/LiveShare Plus bundle includes:

 PictureTel LiveShare Plus software shipped with 3Com interface
 cards -- at no additional cost -- (a $249 value);
 Initial shipment on 10 and 10/100 PCI evaluation adapters;

The LiveLAN-V starter kit upgrade includes:

 2 copies of LiveLAN-V software; and
 2 audio and video capture cards;
 2 cameras;
 2 sets of multimedia speakers;
 2 microphones; and
 a copy of LiveManager, PictureTel's conference management software.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 25 million people gain access to
critical information through high speed networks. Designed to serve large
enterprises, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable
architecture to meet the immediate and long term connectivity needs of
today's user. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is
one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing
companies. The company's innovative marketing, sales and support simplify
communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer
investments. For further information, visit 3Com's world Wide Web site at
http://www.3Com.com.

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and
marketing a full range of visual telecommunications solutions that are
"Redefining the Way the World Meets." The company's products serve
videoconferencing needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also
markets network products and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide
services. Additional PictureTel information is available on the Internet
at http://www.picturetel.com.
 
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