3M Volition VF-45 Interconnect Secures International Standards Approval.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2002

- Published Standard Ensures Multiple source of Supply, Low-Cost,

Connector Intermateability for Network Users and Designers -

3M (NYSE:MMM) today announced that its Volition VF-45 interconnect design has achieved another milestone in industry standardization with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The published international standard, titled "IEC 61754-19 Ed. 1.0: Fiber optic connector interfaces -- Part 19: Type SG connector family," ensures multiple source of supply, low cost and connector intermateability for network users and designers for small form factor connectors on a global basis. The standard defines small form factor connectors, requiring them to meet specific industry performance requirements and comply with Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability standards.

Tad Szostak, market development manager, 3M Telecommunications, said, "As demonstrated by the overwhelming support from more than 60 participating member countries in the IEC, the Volition VF-45 design garnered consensus from international fiber optics experts on a global basis and is now published as an official standard."

The widespread adoption of the VF-45 connector by the IEC is another in a long succession of several industry standards compliance wins for 3M. The VF-45 (SG) ferrule-less optical connector is compliant with ISO 11801 and TIA-568A premises cabling standards and the corresponding component standards (ISO/IEC, TIA/EIA). Further, the connector was adopted by the Fibre Channel Association ASC-X3T11 Technical Committee in February of 1997 as the small form factor interface for future variants of Fibre Channel.

        Volition VF-45 (SG) Compliance with Industry Standards

      2002 IEC publishes SG Standard

      2001 CENELEC TC86B XA publishes Volition VF-45 (SG) Fiber Optic
         Connector Intermateability Standard

           ANSI/TIA/EIA FO-6.3 publishes Volition VF-45 (SG),
         ANSI/TIA/EIA-604-7 Fiber Optic Connector Intermateability
         Standard

           ISO/IEC-86B Connectors and Passive Components publishes
         Volition VF-45 (SG) Approved as the New SG Connector
         Intermateability Standard

           ISO/IEC SC25 WG3 (ISO/IEC-11801 Rev. A) indirectly, through
         compliance with IEC, specified for use in premises cabling;
         2nd Edition of ISO 11801 recommends Small Form Factor (SFF)
         fiber optic connectors in RJ-45 footprint

      2000 TIA/EIA TR-42 (ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-B3) grants use of SFF F/O
         Connector

      1998 ATM Forum specifies the Volition VF-45 in the AF-PHY-0110.000
         Physical Layer -- High Density Glass Optical Fiber Connector
         Annex for ATM network implementations

           IEEE 802.5v 100 and 1000 MBps Token Ring recognizes Volition
         VF-45 SFF

      1997 NCITS T11-Fibre Channel (FC-PI /98) selects Volition VF-45 as
         the new SFF Interface and Connector Standard over LC, MT-RJ
         and Fiber Tech from nine different proposals

About the Volition VF-45

Invented by 3M, the Volition VF-45 connector is a two-part, molded plastic plug and socket. It has the same size, look and feel of the familiar RJ-45 modular jack used for terminating twisted-pair copper wire. The connector provides two key benefits: ease-of-use and cost savings. And since the connector is half the size of traditional ferrule-based SC connectors, the Volition VF-45 interface doubles the number of ports on a hub or switch. The Volition VF-45 connector is simpler to use than traditional fiber connectors. The plug has just four parts compared to more than 40 in standard ferrule-based SC connections. Fewer parts cut field installation time from about 10 or 15 minutes to less than two minutes. The connector's simple, effective design is typically about one-seventh the cost of traditional fiber connectors.

3M Telecommunications is a global leader in materials, components, products and services for high-grade wiring systems and equipment. Building on three decades of experience, the Austin, Texas-based business launched the Volition networking system in 1998. Visit the 3M Volition Network Solutions Web site (http://www.3M.com).

About 3M

3M is a $16 billion diversified technology company with leading positions in health care, safety, electronics, telecommunications, industrial, consumer and office, and other markets. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, the company has operations in more than 60 countries and serves customers in nearly 200 countries. 3M businesses share technologies, manufacturing operations, brands, marketing channels and other important resources. 3M is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and also is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For more information about 3M go to www.3M.com or www.3M.com/profile/pressbox/index.jhtml.

3M, Volition and VF-45 are trademarks of 3M company.