3Com Receives CableLabs Qualification for Multiple Cable Modem Termination Systems Including New Next-Generation Enhanced CMTS.

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2000

3Com(R) Total Control(R) CMTS Solutions Provide Cable Operators

With Industry's Highest Performing, Most Flexible Infrastructure

Equipment

For Clear Migration Path To Next-Generation Scalability And

Enhanced Service Creation

3Com Corporation (Nasdaq: COMS) today announced that both its standard and next-generation enhanced Total Control(R) 1000 Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) have been awarded full Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 1.0 Qualification by Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs(R)), the data-over-cable industry's governing organization for client and head-end interoperability standards testing. 3Com is now the only vendor to provide the cable industry with multiple CableLabs-qualified CMTS solutions, including:

-- the 3Com(R) Total Control 1000 Standard CMTS, which meets and exceeds most cable operator requirements for internet broadband access solutions; and

-- the 3Com Total Control 1000 Enhanced CMTS, a next-generation CMTS system designed to support extremely large-scale deployments and meet the needs of cable operators seeking to extend their offerings to next-generation subscriber services; additionally

-- all Total Control 1000 Standard CMTS systems are completely upgradable to the enhanced CMTS solution.

"We are quite pleased to announce DOCSIS Qualification of our CMTS systems," stated Irfan Ali, Senior Vice President and General Manager, 3Com Carrier Networks Business. "These systems are critical components of our CommWorks architecture for providing robust, extremely stable and flexible service-enabling technology that adds clear value to cable operators' networks. Successfully completing the intense battery of CableLabs testing gives 3Com cable head-end solutions another significant industry badge of validation as demanded by our customers."

3Com Cable Modem Termination Systems

3Com CMTS products are based on the industry-proven Total Control 1000 multiservice access platform - the only system in the industry to provide multiple service operators (MSOs) with features such as "Adaptive Streaming," that allow them to optimize their CMTS configurations for subscriber services. Both 3Com CMTS systems are fully software upgradable to provide DOCSIS 1.1 compliance.

3Com CMTS products are field tested for interoperability with other DOCSIS-certified products and feature the following industry-leading, carrier-class capabilities:

-- Reliability - 3Com CMTS products are tested to meet carrier-grade qualifications such as Telcordia's stringent level 3 Network Equipment Building Standards (NEBS) for environmental, mechanical, safety and electromagnetic requirements based on the GR-1089-CORE and GR-63-CORE specifications. Additionally, 3Com has previously received Excite@Home Level II approval indicating that 3Com CMTS equipment provides exceptional performance, stability and scalability in field deployment scenarios.

-- Scalability - 3Com's CMTS solutions lead the industry with the world's first distributed processing architecture providing leading performance, elimination of processing bottlenecks and the only proven ability to scale bandwidth as subscriber requirements grow.

-- Flexibility - 3Com CMTS solutions feature "Adaptive Streaming," a unique set of capabilities that allow cable operators to configure the same CMTS with a variety of downstream-to-upstream channel ratios, avoiding channel limitations as found in all competing solutions, by simply adding or removing upstream channel cards. The same Total Control chassis can also contain a mixture of telephony-return and cable-return modems.

-- Performance - 3Com CMTS solutions combine distributed processing and "Adaptive Streaming" to provide cable operators with the highest level of head-end performance in the cable industry. Cable operators can use 3Com's unique Bandwidth Manager to provide various tiers of broadband service and more accurately manage individual subscriber bandwidth.

-- Density - 3Com CMTS solutions are modular and can be configured with up to five downstream channels supporting over 10,000 subscribers in only 8.5 inches of rack space. Multiple systems can be configured to provide the most dense cable modem subscriber handling in the industry.

3Com also offers CableLabs-certified HomeConnect(tm) cable modems that provide users with fast download speeds, smooth multimedia streaming and the benefits of an "always on" connection.

3Com CommWorks(R) Architecture

3Com CMTS solutions are part of the 3Com CommWorks architecture, a comprehensive, modular and open definition for the design and deployment of service-capable packet networks by service providers of all types. CommWorks is the only offering in the marketplace that provides unique service and provisioning capabilities that truly extend revenue opportunities for cable operators.

3Com's cable access solutions inhabit all three tiers of the 3Com CommWorks architecture. The 3Com CMTS fits into tier one, the media processing layer, providing packet connectivity between an operator's cable plant and the packet network. 3Com CMTS solutions are ideal for deployments in small markets, multiple dwellings, and large markets where cable operators support many thousands of subscribers. Both 3Com CMTS products can easily and cost-effectively be upgraded to support enhanced functionality and are outfitted to implement next-generation, DOCSIS 1.1 feature sets including Quality of Service (QoS), Internet Telephony and multicast applications.

3Com's SNMP Cable Management System (CMS) is found in tier two of the CommWorks architecture, the network and service management layer, and features a graphical user interface that manages all aspects of installation, monitoring, upgrading and network diagnosis for cable modems and CMTS equipment. The 3Com CMS allows cable operators to monitor multiple chassis at various sites and can easily be accessed from remote locations.

The 3Com CMTS family of solutions also includes optional Bandwidth Manager and Auto Provisioning modules that span tiers two and three of the CommWorks architecture. Cable operators can offer tiered pricing and other differentiating services for their subscribers from tier three, the CommWorks service creation layer. In addition, recent announcements with partners such as BroadJump, Inc. reflect the openness of the CommWorks architecture and the commitment by 3Com to provide complete industry differentiating solutions.

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 300 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people and organizations to information and each other in more innovative, simple and reliable ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers web-enabled solutions to consumers, small- to medium-sized business locations and network service providers. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

Note to Editors: 3Com, CommWorks and Total Control are registered trademarks and HomeConnect is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.