although this article is almost a month old, it discusses wireless products that 3com began shipping about two weeks ago. i think it points to some areas in which this company is turning itself around...
"3Com opening wireless gambit next week
By Wylie Wong
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
January 21, 2000, 4:00 a.m. PT
3Com will ship its first wireless networking products next week,
getting started in a market the company sees as vital to its
long-term health.
Dubbed AirConnect, the technology will allow large companies, schools
and medical offices to build wireless networks so that laptop users can
roam around their offices and stay connected to the Internet and corporate
networks. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company plans to build wireless
networking kits for small businesses and homes in the second half of this
year, according to executives.
"We're going after the mobile professional," said John Drewry, product
director for 3Com's wireless division. "As more people use laptops, a lot of
them spend more time away from their desks, like conference rooms and
cafeterias, and they need to stay connected to the Web and their email."
With the launch, 3Com will become the latest networking firm to jump into
the wireless market, joining such established players as Lucent
Technologies and Proxim as well as newer entries like Cisco Systems,
Cabletron Systems and others.
3Com, which created its wireless division
last spring, is counting on the new
technology to help revitalize a company
that has struggled financially in recent
times. For the past year, 3Com has
targeted wireless and other new markets,
such as Internet telephony and high-speed
modems, as profits from its analog
modems and network adapter cards have
slowed.
AirConnect comes with notebook PC cards
that have radio transmitters and receivers
built-in. The technology also requires a
wireless hub, affixed to a ceiling or wall,
that connects the wireless technology to
the regular wired network. The wireless
network can run at 11 megabits per
second (mbps).
3Com and its wireless competitors
envision a future in which users of handheld devices can wirelessly
connect to the Internet everywhere--in homes, offices, airports and even
hotels. Analyst firm Cahners In-Stat Group predicts the market will grow
from $750 million in revenue in 1999 to $2.2 billion in 2004 as prices for
the wireless products drop and companies rally around a common
standard.
Cahners In-Stat analyst Mike Wolf said 3Com has the potential to become a major player because many businesses already own 3Com equipment in their networks.
"3Com has the sales channel," he said. "If you look at the network adapter card market, approximately 50 percent are 3Com's. If people move to wireless solutions, 3Com can leverage that success."
3Com said a wireless hub, which will support 63 users, will cost $1,195
each. Wireless PC cards will cost $219 each. The company is also selling
a starter pack, consisting of one hub and three PC cards, for $1,795." |
