3Com Expands Commitment to Small Business Market with New Business Unit, Programs and Products; Company organized to capitalize on rapidly growing market

Business Wire, Dec 10, 1996

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 1996--Building on its position as the leading networking hardware vendor for the small business market, 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS) has formed a new business unit to capitalize on this rapidly emerging market. According to an IntelliQuest study, 3Com is the most frequently installed network interface card (NIC) and hub vendor among small businesses(a) (companies with less than 100 employees). 3Com has also announced a series of new products and programs that will help drive the adoption of networking by small businesses and further solidify its leadership position.

"Small businesses are discovering how a network can improve their company's performance," said Chuck Yort, director of 3Com's new Small Business Operation. "Since only a fraction of the more than 30 million small businesses worldwide have a network, there is tremendous growth potential for 3Com and the networking industry." Research from IDC/Link projects worldwide small business networked PCs to increase by 90 percent by 1999. -0-

Worldwide Small Business Networked PCs (Millions)
                       1995    1996    1997    1998    1999
Networked PCs           8.6    10.9    13.8    17.2    20.7
Source: IDC/LINK