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Technology Stocks : 3Com Corporation (COMS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Phoenix who wrote (34876)	10/6/1999 3:45:00 PM
From: Andre Williamson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 45548

Gary, You're right there may be customer issues. I called BA over a year ago and was told I couldn't get the service, though they couldn't specify why. I called again today and the rep was very helpful and said he would try to find out whether the problem was due to Distance from the central office or a digital loop carrier (as explained I understood it to be any piece of the distance that's not pure copper, i.e. multiplexers or fiber, but I'd be glad to defer to others on this explanation) He said he'd have an answer within the week as to why I can't get service now. The rep did say that the range of their DSL service would expand from the current 12,000 to 15,000 feet from the central office as of 1Q2000, and if that is my problem, then I may be able to get service then. I've got cable modem service now, so I'm not in desperate need, but ADSL service strikes me as a potential bargain given the recently advertised $40/month. I currently shell out $68/mo for cable modem service ($50 + $18 for the channels which they shove down your throat - CNN, ESPN, etc. - because they can't block them if you have cable modem service; note that our cable company for almost a year charged a hefty $20 surcharge for anyone choosing NOT to get the extra channels - which was just a big fake lying ploy since they can't block them anyway and they knew that only an idiot would pay an extra $20 not to get channels which they Would get BY paying the extra $18). To make a long story short, if I were to run and buy a DSL modem I'd be hoooked. Andre PS: Also, FTR, BA has on their website a page where you can "check" the availability of DSL on your phone number - but I've tried for days and it doesn't work for me - there is no response.

To: The Phoenix who wrote (34876)	10/6/1999 7:27:00 PM
From: KyrosL	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 45548

Gary, you are a funny man but sometimes you keep repeating some falsehoods that are not helping those that are reading the thread to get the facts about COMS. For example: retail DSL modems = low margin business....when will COMS learn...it is disappointing that COMS still can't extricate themselve from immersing themselves into these low margin businesses...low margins will keep a cap on the stock price. IMO As we discussed before in this thread, 3Com's Personal Connectivity sector, which includes modems and NICs, is the HIGHEST margin business in COMS, with profit margins over 14% (see 10-K page 57, one more time). It is a shrinking business to be sure, but it is NOT low margin. I thought we cleared that up a couple of weeks ago. Now, DSL modems are not being made by too many people, and 3Com will be the only vendor as far as I know that will sell them in retail stores. My own estimation is that 3Com DSL modems will not only help reduce or reverse the shrinkage but will also have very good profit margins. After all, 3Com (and USR) has an excellent reputation in modems and sells them at a premium relative to competition. Now BA has more than 17 million customers. I expect a good percentage of them to convert to DSL. The implications for 3Com profits from this business are very good IMO.