3Com and BroadJump Collaborate On End-to-End Broadband Service Delivery Solution.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NCTA Cable 2000

Booth No. 5665

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2000

Companies Plan To Integrate BroadJump Software With 3Com(R) CMTS

Will Demonstrate Enhanced Service Delivery For

Cable Operators at Annual NCTA Exhibition

3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS) and BroadJump, Inc. today announced plans to integrate their technologies to accelerate cable modem subscriber provisioning and the delivery of enhanced broadband services for data-over-cable service providers. 3Com will integrate Virtual Truck(TM) and Service Mediator(TM) software from BroadJump, a pioneer in software solutions for intelligent deployment of broadband services, with its leading Total Control(R) 1000 Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS).

The 3Com/BroadJump service delivery solution, which will operate at both the customer premise and cable head-end, will deliver several benefits to cable operators, including:

--  eliminating subscriber truck roll deployments;
--  creating an ideal environment for the auto-provisioning, support
    and management of subscriber connections; and
--  providing an unprecedented opportunity to offer services from
    multiple Internet service providers in an open access environment.

3Com and BroadJump will demonstrate BroadJump's Virtual Truck broadband deployment software with 3Com's CMX cable modems and CMTS at the National Cable Television Association's (NCTA) Cable 2000 exhibition this week at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA (3Com Booth No. 5665). The 3Com/BroadJump demonstration will illustrate how service providers can accelerate network deployments, reduce installation times and provide a consistent and manageable modem installation experience for the their subscribers.

BroadJump's Virtual Truck software CD resides with a 3Com(R) CMX cable modem at the customer premises and communicates through an on-screen toolbar via Layer 3 control to the cable head-end. BroadJump's Service Mediator control platform and 3Com's CMTS then exchange policy information at the head-end to complete the auto-provisioning of subscriber modems, enhancing the cable subscriber experience while expediting service provider deployment strategies.

In addition to the NCTA demonstration, 3Com and BroadJump will seek to expand their service provisioning solution to enable service selection and bandwidth allocation at the cable head-end. This functionality resides at layers one and two of the 3Com CommWorks(R) network architecture for service providers. Subscriber cable modems will communicate with layer two of the CommWorks architecture (the management and control layer) where the BroadJump Service Mediator stores subscriber session profiles and activity logs. Based on this unique subscriber data, the Service Mediator will relay appropriate policy information to the 3Com CMTS at layer one (the media processing layer). At layer one, the CMTS aggregates data traffic and capitalizes on the real-time control provided by BroadJump technology to allocate the specified level of bandwidth for specific services or applications requested by subscribers.

The 3Com/BroadJump service delivery solution will allow service providers to more effectively manage their tiered-service offerings and will ultimately lead to the delivery of value-added services in an open access environment -- a scenario the industry is moving toward to increase cable operator revenues and expand data-over-cable access to include content from multiple ISPs.

"We are pleased to be working with BroadJump to integrate their leading-edge broadband software solutions into our CMTS platform," said Irfan Ali, Senior Vice President & General Manager, 3Com Corporation, Carrier Systems. "With BroadJump as a member of our 'CommWorks Community' 3Com is poised to further accelerate service providers' broadband subscriber acquisition strategies."

"3Com clearly understands that in order to compete in the broadband market place, service providers need to differentiate the services they can offer subscribers," said Kip McClanahan, president and CEO of BroadJump. "We are uniquely positioned to help service providers gain broadband subscribers and maintain the relationship from installation to delivery of enhanced services."

3Com's Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) solutions are based on the industry-leading Total Control 1000 multiservice access platform. The 3Com CMTS architecture is scalable and flexible, allowing cable operators to incrementally expand the system to meet increasing demand while reducing capital expenses. All 3Com CMTS products are tested for DOCSIS compliance and field-tested for interoperability with DOCSIS-certified products from other vendors.

About BroadJump

BroadJump, Inc. (www.broadjump.com) creates software that enables residential broadband service providers -- cable, DSL and wireless -- to streamline installation, manage the connection and enable delivery of new services. With BroadJump's service control environment, providers can enhance the subscriber experience through intelligent deployment of applications, content and valuable new services. Founded in November 1998 by broadband and software industry veterans, BroadJump is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 300 million customer connections 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 more information, visit 3Com's web site @ www.3com.com/pressbox.

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