3Com Moves Forward With Enhanced Networking Architecture, Products,
Services and Channels

With Acquisition of Chipcom Complete, Networking Leader Unveils
Organization and Programs in Place to Offer Industry's Broadest Enterprise
Networking Solutions and Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

October 23, 1995 -- SANTA CLARA, CALIF. - One week after finalizing its
acquisition of Chipcom Corporation, global data networking leader, 3Com
Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS), today announced programs which offer customers
worldwide the industry's most comprehensive range of networking solutions
through expanded distribution channels and enhanced services.

3Com also is confirming that the IBM/Chipcom relationship will continue and
expand. The relationship's ongoing initiatives will reinforce IBM/3Com
leadership in enterprise networking and strengthen their positions in
high-end networking systems.

"We have put everything in place top-to-bottom to meet Chipcom and 3Com
customers' needs without interruption and to offer current and future
customers the broadest range of solutions," said Bob Finocchio, executive
vice president of 3Com's Network Systems Operations. "In addition to
expanding our product line to meet the full spectrum of customer needs, we
have also boosted our ability to service and support customers worldwide.
Now with key elements of both companies merged, we are rapidly rolling out
new competitive and comprehensive programs, strategies and solutions."

CUSTOMER SUPPORT -- A TOP PRIORITY

By merging customer support, 3Com now provides 3Com and Chipcom customers
quicker problem resolution through expanded onsite service and technical
support worldwide; additional technical support centers; and wider
coverage for faster response to customer inquiries.

Making this expanded service easy to use, Chipcom and 3Com customers can
order repair services and obtain technical phone support the same way they
did prior to the acquisition. In addition, a single customer hot line has
been set up to provide users of 3Com and Chipcom products with answers to
virtually any question about the newly merged product lines and support
services. Links have also been established between 3Com and Chipcom's
worldwide web home, customer support and product pages.

In addition, the Chipcom sales force has been merged into 3Com's Worldwide
Sales organization. Chipcom customers will continue to work with the same
sales personnel who are familiar with their networking requirements, and
both traditional 3Com and Chipcom customers now have the added benefit of
a wider variety of system solutions.

CHANNEL SYNERGY

The highly complementary 3Com and Chipcom channel programs are merging into
the existing 3Com netWorking Partners Program. The majority of Chipcom's
resellers will become 3Com Advanced Solutions Partners, while the
remaining Chipcom partners will become 3Com Network Solutions Partners. As
such, 3Com's channel programs will enable Chipcom customers to continue to
buy Chipcom-heritage products through their currently authorized Chipcom
value-added resellers.

Reseller meetings are now being held throughout the world to gain a better
understanding of reseller needs and issues regarding the acquisition and
to provide resellers with information on the broader suite of enterprise
solutions that 3Com now offers.

3Com has completed a new training program designed to address issues
related to the acquisition and plans to have all sales teams and channel
partners cross-trained by the end of this calendar year. 3Com will hold a
joint partners conference in early November to update channel partners on
3Com business strategies, products and technologies and new programs
planned for 1996.

ENTERPRISE WIDE SYSTEM STRATEGIES

For large enterprises, 3Com will be converging the Chipcom Cornerstone
Network Architecture (CCNA) with 3Com's High Performance Network
Architecture (HPSN). The combined architecture provides users the building
blocks necessary to scale performance and extend the reach of their
networks as well as a blueprint toward the delivery of virtual
networking.

The consolidation of these two complementary architectures will ensure
users leading edge functionality and performance: scalable high
performance for work groups, data centers, buildings and campuses;
top-down views of the network for simplified network configuration and
management; user- and application-level management; transparent delivery
of services; control of quality of service and network access. Details of
this unified architecture will be announced to customers within the next
60 days.

BROADEST PRODUCT LINE, TRANSCEND ENTERPRISE NETWORK MANAGEMENT

Together, 3Com and Chipcom products provide unsurpassed technology and
product breadth and depth of functionality for building flexible,
scalable, standards-based networks. The enhanced range of solutions
include:

Data Center/building/campus backbone solutions:

 LANplex and CELLplex single-purpose, high-functionality LAN and
 ATM switches;

 ONcore Switching System, multi-purpose system for LAN and ATM
 switching migration;

Wiring closet/workgroup solutions:

 Superstack high-performance stackable systems (including LinkBuilder
 FMSII and FMS100 workgroup hubs, LinkSwitch switches, NetBuilder
 II routers);

 ONline System Concentrator and LinkBuilder systems for multiple
 shared media and switched LAN services;

Remote office/access solutions:

 NetBuilder Remote Office routers and AccessBuilder remote access
 servers;

Plus the full range of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, ISDN and
ATM network adapters.

Employing standards-based commonalities and forthcoming value-added
applications, 3Com is managing these solutions through the combined power
of the 3Com Transcend and Chipcom ONdemand suite of network management
applications. Within the next 60 days, 3Com will unveil details of the
bundling, integration, and enhanced functionality of these network
management solutions as well as new value-added applications for the
enterprise.

CONTINUING THE CHIPCOM-IBM RELATIONSHIP

In continuing the IBM/Chipcom relationship, IBM and 3Com will jointly
develop and support the 8238, 8250 and 8260 family of hub products. IBM
will also continue to incorporate its Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
technology into the 8260 and 3Com's ONcore multifunction hubs.

To help customers evolve to switched LANs, IBM and 3Com will cooperate in
the development of HPSN and IBM Switched Virtual Networking (SVN) with the
aim of enabling desktop machines to automatically define their
participation in virtual LANs.

As the market leaders in Token Ring and Ethernet, IBM and 3Com will help
customers simplify operations and reduce the cost of networking ownership
by allowing them to use Token Ring and Ethernet switches to dynamically
create and manage virtual LANs. 3Com and IBM will explore other areas of
cooperation such as standards for Token Ring interoperability and
workgroup solutions.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES UNITED

Chipcom's product development, marketing and administrative functions will
become the Integrated Systems Division (ISD) within 3Com's Network Systems
Operations. In the most recent quarter, ended August 31, 3Com's systems
business grew substantially from the prior year and represented more than
half of the company's sales.

The new division is headed by 3Com's vice president and general manager,
Ron Sege, who previously led the growth of 3Com's hub business, including
the highly successful SuperStack stackable networking system. "As part of
3Com's rapidly growing systems business operations, the ISD team can
leverage technologies across multiple product platforms to provide
enhanced functionality to our customers more rapidly," said Sege.

In addition, Tim Lieto, vice president of North American sales at Chipcom,
has become a vice president of 3Com and member of 3Com's operating
committee. Lieto reports to Bill Marr, executive vice president of
worldwide sales.

ABOUT 3COM

3Com Corporation has helped more than 24 million people gain access to
critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large
enterprises, service providers, small offices and homes, 3Com products
provide a scalable architecture to meet the present and future
connectivity needs of today's users. With research and development on
three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest
and fastest growing companies and is the industry's largest LAN vendor.
3Com's innovative manufacturing, marketing, sales and support simplify
communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer
investments.
 
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