3Com Corporation Underscores Its Leadership in Growing Small
Business Market - 08:12 a.m. Mar 09, 1998 Eastern
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 1998--
Industry Marketshare Figures Signify Preference for 3Com
Among Small Business End-Users and Resellers
New industry data released by International Data Corp. (IDC) further supports 3Com
Corporation's (Nasdaq: COMS) leadership position in delivering networking solutions
for small business end-users and resellers, 3Com announced today.
As the first networking vendor to recognize and capitalize on the
potential of the small business market, 3Com continues to widen
its marketshare advantage over competitors just now scrambling to enter the market.
IDC's report, "How to Target the Forgotten Seven Million: A Study of LAN & Server
Usage in U.S. Small Business," supports 3Com's marketshare leadership
in the hub and network interface card (NIC) categories, entrenching
3Com as the most frequently installed NIC and hub vendor in the small
business market among end-users and resellers.
Key survey findings include:
-- NIC and Hub Leadership: In both product categories, IDC's research shows 3Com's
marketshare among small business end-users to be three times that of its nearest competitor.
-- Reseller Preference: 3Com's commitment to the channel has resulted in overwhelming
reseller preference. IDC's research cites 3Com as the most "strategic"
supplier of local area network (LAN) and server products among the
majority of resellers surveyed. Resellers defined strategic as "a
vendor you can partner with for the long term." Resellers also gave
3Com the highest ratings for LAN and server product quality.
"3Com made a strategic investment more than three years ago to target
small business as one of its four target markets. Based on this, 3Com
developed product and rolled out channel programs specifically
designed to serve this market," said Chuck Yort, director of small
business operations. "Now, IDC has confirmed that 3Com's efforts have
been successful. 3Com is, far and away, the leader in small business
networking. We've leveraged four core competencies -- leadership in
Ethernet, personal Internet access, remote access and fully switched
networks -- to bring high-performance products to small businesses.
3Com has award-winning products, as well as superior reseller
relationships and sales/support tools to offer growing businesses the
best solution for their networking investment." Core Product Strengths
Bolster Small Business Demand for 3Com's Solutions.
3Com's leadership in small business networking underscores the success
of the company's comprehensive line of award-winning products. These
include the following:
-- EtherLink network interface cards
-- Megahertz PC cards
-- OfficeConnect family of routers, modems, hubs, switches and application servers
-- SuperStack family of routers, hubs and switches
-- U.S. Robotics modems
Ideal for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, 3Com's networking
solutions are designed to deliver the highest levels of compatibility,
reliability, ease-of-use and performance that small businesses
require. With such a diverse product range, small businesses are
guaranteed to find a solution to get connected, whether they're just
starting out or adding to an existing network.
3Com continues to expand its product arsenal to deliver small
businesses the most complete networking solutions. Recent product
announcements further solidify 3Com's leadership position: the Fast
Ethernet Office Connect hubs allow small businesses and branch offices
to achieve increased productivity through "next-generation" high speed
networking for rapid file downloads, faster emailing capabilities and
instant information sharing. the OfficeConnect ISDN LAN Modem provides
LAN and Internet access in one unit, integrating a four-port Ethernet
hub, an IP router, two analog voice/fax ports and an ISDN line -- a
comprehensive and affordable solution for small businesses with up-to
four users. September 1997, the Office Connect Remote Dual Analog
delivers small businesses the highest-speed access to the Internet and
corporate networks over analog lines, maximizing the power of U.S.
Robotics 56 Kbps x2 technology to give small businesses near-ISDN
speeds combined with the ease and familiarity of a dial-up modem.
Commitment to the Channel Earns 3Com Overwhelming Reseller Preference.
The adoption of networking among small businesses is yielding huge
opportunities for the reseller channel, as small businesses are
overwhelmingly turning to the channel for their technology purchasing
needs.
To help drive the adoption of networking in the small business arena,
3Com developed a tailored reseller program in February 1997 to
recruit, educate and train VARs and consultants selling to small
businesses. As part of its award-winning netWorking Partners Program,
3Com created the Small Business Partner Program that equips resellers
with free training, marketing and technical support and sales tools.
To date, 3Com has recruited more than 10,000 reseller partners. To
learn about the qualifications required for the program and to join
the program, contact 1-888-710-3Com or visit 3Com's Small BusinessWeb
site at 3com.com.
In addition, 3Com also developed comprehensive programs for retail
outlets, including in-store product demonstrations and training, to
educate retail customers about the benefits of networking. The leading
networking vendor in retail, 3Com's complete line of small business
networking solutions are widely available in more than 2,000 retail
outlets, such as CompUSA and Computer City.
About 3Com
3Com Corporation enables individuals and organizations worldwide to communicate and share
information and resources at anytime from anywhere. As one of the world's preeminent
suppliers of data, voice and video communications technology, 3Com has delivered networking
solutions to more than 100 million customers worldwide. The company provides enterprises,
network service providers and carriers, small businesses and consumers with comprehensive,
innovative information access products and system solutions for building intelligent, reliable and
high performance local and wide area networks. For further information, visit 3Com's small
business web site at 3com.com, or the press site at
3com.com.
3Com, EtherLink, Megahertz, OfficeConnect, SuperStack and U.S. Robotics are registered
trademarks of 3Com Corporation. 3Com netWorking Partners and x2 are trademarks of 3Com
Corporation or its subsidiaries. All other company and brand names may be trademarks of the
respective companies with which they are associated.
ADDENDUM Additional Data Shows 3Com Leading the Charge in Small Business
Networking
Reinforcing IDC's current findings, additional industry figures pointing to 3Com's leadership
include:
-- IDC's October, 1997, marketshare assessment survey puts 3Com NIC marketshare among
small businesses at the top, more than 32 percentage points higher than its nearest competitor. In
the hub market, IDC's research also demonstrates 3Com's leadership position among small
businesses.
-- IDC/Link's 1997 Small Business PC Study ranks 3Com as the number one brand for bridges
and routers recommended by small business resellers.
-- 3Com leads the market in unmanaged hubs with a 24% marketshare, according to Dell'Oro
Group.
-- According to Computer Reseller News' 1997 Channel Trendlines Networking Survey, over
85% of small businesses rely on reseller recommendation for networking purchasing decisions.
3Com is the most recommended brand among small business resellers.
-- PC Data's November 1997 study of retail hardware sales ranks 3Com as the number one
networking vendor in the following product categories: NICs, ISDN adapters, and modems. (See
also: businesswire.com)
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