3Com and Inventor Dr. Brent Townshend Announce First Patent Issued for 56K Modem Technology

Business Wire, Sept 2, 1998

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 1998--Global networking leader 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS) and independent inventor Dr. Brent Townshend today announced the issuance to Townshend of U.S. Patent Number 5,801,695.

This is the first of several anticipated patents covering Townshend's inventions embodying the pulse code modulation technology basic to making a V.90 or any other 56K(a) analog modem.

3Com, formerly U.S. Robotics(R), was the first to introduce and market a 56K(a) desktop modem, PC card and server with this technology and has been the leader in the 56K market ever since.

Townshend's Innovations Create New Era of Communications

Townshend's inventions are believed to be fundamental to the technology breakthrough that led to the development of 56K analog modems. This began with 3Com's U.S. Robotics brand x2(tm) technology implementation, and culminated, earlier this year, in the determination of the final ITU (International Telecommunications Union) V.90 standard.

3Com engineers also contributed numerous inventions relating to the successful implementation of 56K technology in the company's market-leading x2 and V.90 modem products.

"Townshend's groundbreaking work allowed us to create a new product that drastically improved analog modem connection speeds. His invention revolutionized the way people all over the world experience the Web," said Dale Walsh, vice president of Advanced Development at 3Com.

3Com Continuing to Lead the Market

Townshend initially approached 3Com in 1995 with his idea for the next generation of modem communications, and the company has been developing implementations of 56K modem technology since 1996. 3Com submitted the first 56K proposal to the ITU in September 1996 and has continued to lead the push toward standard-based 56K technology.

Using its proprietary x2 technology, in February 1997, 3Com became the first vendor to ship 56K modems. A year later, shortly after the V.90 standard was determined by the ITU, 3Com was first to market with modems that were compliant with the new 56K standard.

3Com holds an exclusive license to Townshend's technology, including his patents. Further, 3Com and Townshend have both indicated their intentions to offer licenses under their respective patents covering V.90 standard modems to all manufacturers on reasonable terms. Specific license terms are available to interested parties upon request.

About 3Com

3Com Corporation enables individuals and organizations worldwide to stay more connected by communicating and sharing information and resources anytime, anywhere. As one of the world's preeminent suppliers of data, voice and video communications technology, 3Com has delivered networking solutions to nearly 200 million customers worldwide. The company provides large enterprise, small and medium enterprise, carriers and network service providers, and consumers with comprehensive, innovative information access products and system solutions for building intelligent, reliable and high performance local and wide area networks. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at http://www.3Com.com or the press site at http://www.3Com.com/pressbox.> (a) Capable of receiving at up to 56 Kbps (kilobits per second) and sending at up to 31.2 Kbps. Due to FCC regulations, receiving speeds limited to 53 Kbps. Actual speeds may vary. Requires compatible phone line and server equipment. See www.3com.com/56k for details.

Note to Editors: 3Com and U.S. Robotics are registered trademarks and x2 is a trademark of 3Com Corporation.

    CONTACT: 3Com Public Relations
              Mike Beltrano, 847/262-2331
              mike_beltrano@3Com.com
               or
              Coltrin & Associates
              Brad Thatcher, 212/221-1616
              brad_thatcher@coltrin.com