Best Buy Partners with 3Com and Bell Atlantic to Offer ADSL Modem
Technology to Consumers
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 13, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Alliance Provides Best Buy Customers with Ultra-Fast
Internet Access in the Washington, D.C. Area
Beginning Jan. 16, seven Washington D.C.-area Best Buy locations will
offer local shoppers one-stop shopping for high-speed Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL) service from 3Com and Bell Atlantic.
For the first time, consumers will be able to qualify their phone
lines, order DSL service and purchase a 3Com and Bell Atlantic.net ADSL
Home Connection Kit from a participating Best Buy store. The kit
includes a 3Com(R) HomeConnectTM ADSL modem and all the hardware,
software and information they need to use Bell Atlantic.net high-speed
Internet access service, powered by Bell Atlantic InfospeedSM DSL
service.
"Broadband services provide the power to change the way Best Buy
customers work and play," said Pete Bosse, Best Buy vice president -
Digital Communication Services. "ADSL is another way to enhance our
customers' time and give them more options to stay connected."
When Best Buy customers buy the 3Com and Bell Atlantic.net ADSL Home
Connection Kit, getting Bell Atlantic.net/DSL service up and running is
a snap. Consumers can order Bell Atlantic.net/DSL service in the store
or at home online. The can also self install the HomeConnect modem, or
have it installed by a Best Buy technician for a nominal fee. Either
way, there's no waiting at home for a visit from a Bell Atlantic
technician.
"By making our Home Connection kit available at Best Buy stores, we're
making it easier for consumers to get started with Infospeed DSL, from
qualification to service activation to installation," said Fred
D'Alessio, group president - consumer services for Bell Atlantic.
"We're committed to making DSL services as accessible and easy to use
as possible for our broadband customers."
Jerry Devlin, vice president and general manager for 3Com's Personal
Connectivity Division, commented, "3Com and Bell Atlantic's innovative
DSL solution at Best Buy stores aims to simplify the broadband
qualification and purchase process, making installation and service
activation easier for consumers. This strategic relationship represents
another major leap forward for consumers anxiously awaiting the promise
of dedicated, high-speed Internet access."
3Com representatives will be in Washington, D.C.-area stores on January
16 to answer questions and help consumers determine if Bell Atlantic
Infospeed DSL service is available to them. Personal Infospeed DSL
service can then be activated from a Bell Atlantic facility within
approximately seven business days once customers place their orders
online, either in store or at home.
At $49.95 per month, Bell Atlantic's Personal Infospeed package - which
includes Bell Atlantic.net Internet access - features speeds up to 640
kilobits per second (Kbps) with unlimited use. Best Buy shoppers can
purchase the Home Connection kit for $229.99. After 60 days of
continuous service with Bell Atlantic.net service, customers will
receive $130 cash back. The rebate offer is available for orders
received through the end of March.
Infospeed DSL - Bell Atlantic's brand name for DSL - is a digital
high-speed service that provides an "always-on" link to the global
Internet, taking advantage of unused capacity in existing telephone
lines. DSL allows consumers to use a single phone line to send faxes or
make phone calls while simultaneously surfing the Internet.
The 3Com and BellAtlantic.net ADSL Home Connection Kit will be
available at the following Best Buy stores in the Washington, D.C.
metro area:
-- Best Buy Rockville
1200 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD
-- Best Buy Springfield Mall
6555 Frontier Drive
Springfield, VA
-- Best Buy Pentagon City
1201 S. Hayes Street, Suite B
Arlington, VA
-- Best Buy Reston
1861 Fountain Drive
Reston, VA
-- Best Buy Gaithersburg
15750 Shady Grove Road
Gaithersburg, MD
-- Best Buy Fair Lakes
13058 Fair Lakes Parkway
Fairfax, VA
-- Best Buy 7 Corners
6201 Arlington Boulevard
Falls Church, VA
About Best Buy Co., Inc.
Minneapolis-based Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is the nation's
largest volume specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal
computers, entertainment software and appliances. The Company operates
354 stores in 37 states, and offers CDs, DVD movies and gift cards
online at bestbuy.com.
About 3Com Corporation
With over 300 million customer connections worldwide, 3Com
Corporation connects more people to information and each other in more
innovative, simple and reliable ways than any other networking company.
3Com delivers e-Networking solutions through information access
products and network system solutions to enterprises, small businesses,
consumers, carriers 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.
About Bell Atlantic
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines
and more than 10 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic
companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data
services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest
publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also
among the world's largest investors in high-growth global
communications markets, with operations and investments in 23
countries.
3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks and More connected.
and HomeConnect are trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Bell Atlantic
Infospeed DSL is a service mark of Bell Atlantic. All other company and
product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which
they are associated.
Copyright (C) 2000 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
Distributed via COMTEX.
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CONTACT: Best Buy, Minneapolis
Joy Harris
612/995-5448
joy.harris@bestbuy.com
or
Dave DeVries, 3Com Corp.
847/262-2323
dave_devries@3Com.com
or
Joan Rasmussen, Bell Atlantic
212/395-2051
joan.m.rasmussen@bellatlantic.com
WEB PAGE: businesswire.com
GEOGRAPHY: MINNESOTA
INDUSTRY CODE: RETAIL
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