3Com Corporation's Focus Partner Program Earns VARBusiness Magazine's Highest Rating.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. -- Awarded Five-Star Rating for Channel Innovation, Involvement and Dedication by Leading Technology Publication

3Com Corporation today announced that the company's Focus Partner program was awarded a Five-Star Rating by CMP Media's VARBusiness magazine. 3Com was recognized as one of North America's top information-technology (IT) vendors in terms of the breadth and depth of the channel-partner program it presents to solution providers that sell its products to enterprises of all sizes.

VARBusiness editors cited 3Com's program benefits, including market development funds, training and certification programs, and "high-touch" channel representatives as reasons for bestowing its highest rating. In addition, 3Com's broad portfolio of secure, converged networking solutions creates a compelling selling opportunity for partners.

"We applaud vendors like 3Com for its overall channel commitment and channel innovation," says VARBusiness Publisher Robert C. DeMarzo. "3Com recognizes the value the channel brings to the company and places the highest degree of dedication to developing programs that ensure its partners' success."

"This recognition is particularly gratifying because we have worked tirelessly to develop a program that drives both growth and profitability for all of our North American partners," said Nick Tidd, 3Com's vice president, North American Channel Sales, who was also named to VARBusiness' "Top 75 Executives" list. "Moving forward, we will continue to invest in partners that invest in 3Com, and we will continue developing our Focus Partner program, delivering the characteristics that led to this award to the rest of our global partners. Our ultimate goal is to provide our entire channel with the most compelling benefits and greatest opportunity to grow our businesses together."

Of all vendor program entries from all industries reviewed this year, only one-third of them received the coveted Five-Star rating in the magazine's 11th annual Partner Programs Guide survey. The guide appears in the March 21, 2005, issue of VARBusiness.

About VARBusiness Magazine

For the past 18 years, VARBusiness' strategic resources have been the gateway to the solution-provider community. VARBusiness provides unique strategic business and technology insight for solution providers through industry-defining research, in-depth editorial, channel events and innovative Web services, enabling these IT professionals to make educated decisions for their businesses, partnerships and customers. VARBusiness has been the recipient of numerous industry awards for both editorial content and design. Additional information about VARBusiness products, events and services, is available on the magazine's Web site at www.varbusiness.com.

About 3Com Corporation

3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) is a leading provider of secure, converged voice and data networking solutions for enterprises of all sizes. 3Com offers a broad line of innovative products backed by world class sales, service and support, which excel at delivering business value for its customers. When customers exercise choice, their choice is 3Com. For further information, please visit www.3com.com, or the press site www.3com.com/pressbox.

Copyright (C) 2005 3Com Corporation. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks and Exercise Choice is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective holders.