3Com Corporation Initiates East Coast Community Investment Program with $1 Million Commitment; Initial programs include challenge grant for schools and learning museums and 3Com Internet Spoken Here browsing stations at local libraries.

BOXBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 19, 1995--3Com Corporation, a leading global data networking company, today announced the first two programs in its East Coast Community Investment program.

The company is setting up 3Com Internet Spoken Here World Wide Web (WWW) browsing stations at local libraries in towns surrounding its new facilities in Boxborough and Southborough as well as offering a $1 million challenge grant to help eight communities gain access to the information superhighway. The commitment is part of a program to invest in communities where its employees live and work and to assist these communities in utilizing state-of-the-art networking technology to improve public education.

"3Com is a large and expanding employer in Massachusetts and we are committed to leveraging our expertise in building enterprise networks to partner with concerned educators and parents to create an exciting and instructional motivating educational experience for our children," said Eric Benhamou, 3Com chairman and chief executive officer. "We hope this initial project will serve as the basis for a long-term partnership between our company and these communities."

With these investments, schools and libraries in Boxborough, Acton, Harvard, Littleton, Southborough, Marlborough, Northborough and Westborough, as well as the Acton Children's Discovery Museum, will have the opportunity to be linked to the Internet via a high-speed network. Partnering with UltraNet Communications of Marlborough, Mass., 3Com is donating computer hardware and software and telecommunications services that provide easy, affordable access to the Internet's WWW.

The browsing stations will enable local residents to access information throughout the U.S., including the Library of Congress and the White House, and from around the world, including the Louvre and Buckingham Palace. The company will complete installation of the browsing stations by year-end.

"3Com, with more than 1000 employees in Massachusetts, has benefited from the support of local communities and is pleased to have the opportunity to help bring 21st century technology to the libraries where our employees live and work," said Dave Tolwinski, vice president of 3Com's Boxborough-based Switching Division.

$1 Million Challenge Grant to Link Desktops

Consistent with statewide educational goals of internetworking schools throughout Massachusetts, 3Com is committed to working with teachers, administrators, librarians and other concerned citizens to create a high-speed network connecting schools, museums and libraries. The company will match corporate or individual cash grants, up to $100,000, to schools in the above mentioned communities as well as provide consulting services, networking equipment and expertise to network K-12 students. More details about 3Com's Education Challenge Grant, including application procedures, will be provided in a day-long seminar for educators later this fall.

"This grant is consistent with 3Com's belief that technology is an effective tool that can increase student interest in and enthusiasm for education and its benefits," said Ron Sege, vice president of 3Com's Integrated Systems Division in Southborough. "It is part of our corporate commitment to help facilitate quality public education based on new models of teaching that reflect 21st century life."

3Com has been recognized for its leadership in creating public-private partnerships to support the effective integration of technology into public schools. Its flagship project, the San Jose Education Network, is the largest in California. Already, more than 50 schools have been networked and more than 50 percent of the teachers are teaching their own custom-designed computer networking-based curriculum. The program has been enthusiastically received by both students and teachers.

3Com Corporation has helped more than 24 million people gain access to critical information through high-speed networks. Designed to serve large enterprises, network service providers, small offices and homes, 3Com products provide a scalable architecture to meet the connectivity needs of today's users. With research and development on three continents, 3Com is one of the data networking industry's largest and fastest growing companies. 3Com's innovative manufacturing, marketing, sales and support simplify communication, optimize network reliability and protect customer investments.

For further information visit our World Wide Web site: http://www.3Com.com -0-

Note to Editors: 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation and Internet Spoken Here is a trademark of 3Com Corporation.

CONTACT: 3Com Public Affairs 

David J. Abramson, 408/764-6621

or

3Com Public Relations 

David Hayward, 508/264-1773

or

Coltrin & Associates

Todd Irwin, 212/221-1616