3Com And LANSource Team to Provide IP-Based Fax Services; New Solution Enables ISPs to Leverage Existing Internet Infrastructure and Provide Extensive Range of Virtual Fax Capabilities

Business Wire, April 15, 1999

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 1999--

3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) and LANSource Technologies, Inc. today announce general availability of an IP-based solution that will enable ISPs to provide a range of cost-effective fax services to corporate customers of all sizes. This innovative service solution combines 3Com's award-winning Total Control(R) multi-service access platform and LANSource's FAXport Virtual Fax Networking (VFN) software, building a virtual fax network that leverages ISPs' existing infrastructure.

With the 3Com/LANSource solution, ISPs can immediately offer services including PC-to-fax, Web-to-fax (Java Client), LAN-based fax-to-fax, standard fax-to-fax and fax-to-email. This new approach represents a paradigm shift in the LAN fax server industry, as it eliminates the need for a fax server on the corporate LAN. Businesses from large enterprises to small offices/home offices can now provide reliable outsource fax server operations and long distance faxes to their ISP, significantly reducing their hardware and maintenance costs, as well as long distance fax charges.

LANSource and 3Com are pleased to announce that USA Global Link has deployed this technology, renaming their service; USAGlobal Fax. USA Global Link chose LANSource's FAXport VFN after comparing the other software actively being promoted in the marketplace.

"USA Global Link is our first global partner to take advantage of our unique Virtual Fax Network (VFN)(tm) service provider product line that will create new standards for IP-faxing," says LANSource President, Marc Bisnaire. "Our ten years of fax expertise coupled with USA Global Link's experience as a leading global telecommunications provider is the perfect fit to bring our cost-savings solutions to the world."

USA Global Link uses 3Com's Total Control multi-service access platform to provide carrier-class quality of service.

"The 3Com/LANSource IP faxing solution represents a significant achievement in the convergence of voice and data over the Internet," said Irfan Ali, senior vice president and general manager, 3Com Carrier Systems. "Our Total Control platform together with LANSource's software enables customers, like USA Global Link, to offer converged fax, voice and data services over a single network. Deploying fax over an existing infrastructure with enhanced software is a great value proposition, saving ISPs valuable deployment time and reducing new equipment costs."

"Providing ISPs, CLECs; RBOCs etc. with the ability to offer value-added services such as fax over IP is exciting and with this joint effort with 3Com, our industry strength is confirmed," commented Yves Ohayon, Director, Internet Business Unit, LANSource. "A large number of ISPs use 3Com's Total Control platform, and we look forward to helping them take advantage of our unique Virtual Fax Network with our high-level market knowledge and creative marketing initiatives."

3Com's Total Control multi-service access platform provides telecommunications carriers, service providers and large enterprises with a powerful and complete networking solution, including support for remote access, IP telephony and virtual private networking applications. The software-upgradeable platform is designed for service reliability, using redundant power supplies and modular application cards to prevent a single point of failure.

FAXport VFN offers the unique ability to seamlessly integrate with existing LAN messaging systems such as Microsoft Exchange/Outlook and Lotus Notes/Domino, Thin Client/Server and POP3. Corporate clients can continue to use existing business applications to send their faxes; once the software is loaded, users can send facsimiles immediately. With the use of a redialer faxes can be sent through a traditional fax machine as well. The customer can deploy this solution with their ISP or directly within a corporate WAN, utilizing the Enterprise functionality of the software. By linking ISP's together, FAXport VFN creates a worldwide network offering Least Cost Routing, Centrally controlled Rate Tables and the unique Clearinghouse functionality.

LANSource is an industry leader in LAN fax servers with versions available to suit almost any LAN. FAXport Version 7.0, which includes VFN, can integrate any of the following FAXport servers: FAXport, FAXport for MS Exchange/Outlook, FAXport for Lotus Notes/Domino and FAXport for Thin-Client/Server Computing. POP3, browser plug-in and Java client versions will also be available for ISP versions of FAXport VFN for the IfSP. LANSource is also the software provider of WINport; modem pooling software for dial-out networking. For more information visit www.lansource.com

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 200 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people to information in more ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to large, medium and small enterprises; carriers and network service providers; PC OEMs; and consumers. 3Com -- More connected(TM) For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.>