3Com Becomes Official Bluetooth Promoter.SANTA CLARA Santa Clara, city, CubaSanta Clara (sän`tä klä`rä), city (1994 est. pop. 217,000), capital of Villa Clara prov., central Cuba. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1999-- Underscoring its leadership in wireless networking See wireless network. , 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS COMS 3Com Corporation (stock symbol) COMS Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist COMS Continuous Opacity Monitoring Systems COMS City of Manchester Stadium (UK) ) today announced it has become an official Bluetooth promoter. 3Com, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft and Motorola joined the five founding companies, Ericsson, Intel, IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) , Nokia and Toshiba to form the Promoter Group of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is the body that oversees the development of Bluetooth standards and the licensing of the Bluetooth technologies and trademarks to manufacturers. (SIG). Today's announcement builds on 3Com's strategy to develop wireless networking technologies that give people and businesses total network availability and secure access to voice, video, and data e-business applications, regardless of their physical location. 3Com is building on its leadership in all key areas -- carrier access, handheld access, PC connectivity and workgroup hubs and switches -- to deliver a complete set of high-speed, standards-based wireless solutions. The charter of the Promoter Group is to lead the efforts of the Bluetooth SIG by creating a forum for enhancing the Bluetooth standard and providing a vehicle for interoperability The capability of two or more hardware devices or two or more software routines to work harmoniously together. For example, in an Ethernet network, display adapters, hubs, switches and routers from different vendors must conform to the Ethernet standard and interoperate with each other. testing. The Bluetooth wireless communications wireless communications System using radio-frequency, infrared, microwave, or other types of electromagnetic or acoustic waves in place of wires, cables, or fibre optics to transmit signals or data. standard is expected to re-define the personal communications market by expanding the capabilities of mobile devices both in and out of the office and to make these devices work better together. Bluetooth technology will provide an easier way for mobile communication and computing computing - computer devices to communicate with one another in their immediate vicinity without the need for wires or cables, creating a wireless Personal Area Network. "The notion of seamlessly linking your phone, laptop and handheld device as you move from place to place seems futuristic fu·tur·is·tic adj. 1. Of or relating to the future. 2. a. Of, characterized by, or expressing a vision of the future: futuristic decor. b. , but the Bluetooth technology that enables these personal area networks is under development today at a lower cost than anyone expected," said Rick Bilodeau, director of marketing of 3Com's Wireless Connectivity Division. "3Com has a commitment to simplicity and innovation and ships more connections for mobile computers than any other company. Our Bluetooth products will meet the growing need for personal mobile devices that synchronize See synchronization. and communicate without cords and wires." In the summer of 1998, the Bluetooth founding companies announced the public release of the Bluetooth 1.0 specification. Over the last 18 months, 3Com has been a lead adopter making significant contributions to the specification as well as chairing both the Networking Task Force and the Bluetooth Qualification Program. Today, over 1,200 companies support the Bluetooth technology, making it the de facto standard Hardware or software that is widely used, but not endorsed by a standards organization. Contrast with de jure standard. de facto standard - A widespread consensus on a particular product or protocol which has not been ratified by any official standards body, such as ISO, for seamless wireless connectivity between mobile devices. The magnitude and reach of the Bluetooth standard, as well as the emergence of new applications, led to the decision to broaden the group. The five founding members of the Bluetooth SIG announced on December 1st that 3Com, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft and Motorola joined them to form the Promoter group of the Bluetooth SIG. By working together, the nine promoter companies will combine their respective skills to help drive the program forward. There is unrivalled experience among the Promoter Group, which will help encourage an extensive array of Bluetooth solution profiles for wireless connectivity. About 3Com Corporation With over 300 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 enterprises, small businesses, 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. 3Com is a registered trademark, and More connected. is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. |
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