Tokyo- September 06, 2001-CommWorks Corporation, a 3Com (NASDAQ: COMS) Company, and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT/TSE:6501) announced today that Japan Telecom, a global leader in telecommunications services, will deploy the Hitachi SG8000 IP Gateway System co-developed by the two companies. Japan Telecom will use the new gateway system in its Open Data Network (ODN) service. ODN provides residential and business customers with Internet access via large-capacity circuits.
          The Hitachi SG8000 system enables the transmission of data, voice and fax over a single port to Japan Telecom's service provider business for remote access servers that accommodate ODN dial-up connections. The new gateway combines Hitachi's SG8000-SP Signaling Gateway Processor and the Total Control 1000 Media Gateway from CommWorks to provide Internet Protocol (IP) gateway system functionality that interfaces with the Common Channel Signaling System No.7. This common channel signaling system, standardized by the International Telecommunications Union, is a method for using separate circuits to organize information from a signal when constituting a telephone/ ISDN network.
          This new added media gateway functionality also doubles the port density, and adds a Network Node Interface (NNI) connection through Synchronous Transfer Mode-0 (STM-0) interface.
          “Japan Telecom is experiencing tremendous growth in ODN dial-up and wholesale service for Internet connection service providers,” said Ryuji Tsuchimoto, CommWorks Japan.. “With the SG8000 IP Gateway System's voice, data and fax fusion capability, Japan Telecom is able to provide multiple services to its customers with a unified platform.”
          “The SG8000 IP Gateway System is a product of Hitachi's unsurpassed signaling technology combined with CommWorks' experience with over12 million ports installed worldwide and their media gateway technology,” said Kazuo Furukawa, General Manager, Network Systems & Platform Solutions Division of Hitachi, Ltd.

About Hitachi, Ltd.
          Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 2000 (ended March 31, 2001) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($67.9 billion*) The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com
*At an exchange rate of 124 yen to the dollar.

About CommWorks
          CommWorks, a 3Com Company, supplies network service providers around the world with access infrastructures and IP services platforms that open new business opportunities and help them establish unique positions in a competitive marketplace. With flexible multi-service hardware platforms and modular software components, the comprehensive CommWorks architecture makes it possible for service providers to integrate their existing infrastructures with innovative technologies to deliver an array of next-generation IP-based enhanced services to their customers. For further information, visit www.commworks.com

About 3Com Corporation
          3Com simplifies how people connect to information and services through easy-to-use, connectivity products and solutions for consumers and commercial organizations. The company also provides access infrastructures and IP services platforms for network service providers. For further information, visit www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.


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