Zoom Telephonics Response to 3Com: Planning For A Broadband
Future, Zoom Will Not Leave Current Customers Behind
Boston, MA, March 23, 2000 -- Responding to questions
raised by 3Com's announced departure from its dial-up modem
business, Zoom Telephonics (NASDAQ: ZOOM),
maker of Zoom and Hayes brand products, pledged a continuing
commitment to the design and production of all types of high-volume
Internet access products, including both broadband and dial-up
modems. "Zoom Telephonics has cultivated its
customer base and reseller channels for over twenty years,"
said Frank Manning, Zoom's President. "We will continue
to support our Zoom and Hayes brand modem customers and will
continue to develop new modem products, including dial-up
modems compliant to the anticipated V.92 standard. We believe
that the relationship that we have with our current customers
and industry partners will be a significant competitive advantage
in launching new cable modem, DSL modem, wireless LAN, and
home networking solutions." From Modems to
Networking: Broadband and Beyond Over the past
several years Zoom Telephonics has pursued a strategy that
anticipated widespread deployment of broadband wide area networking
using DSL modems and cable modems. For more than a year, the
majority of Zoom's research and development expenditures have
been spent on developing broadband technologies, while continuing
to support the introduction of new dial-up modems. In addition
to developing broadband Internet access products, Zoom has
developed easily-installed and easily-managed local area networking
(LAN) technologies. Those LAN products are key to the easy
distribution of data rates provided by broadband to a rapidly
increasing number of computing devices in homes and offices.
Zoom's LAN designs include wireless networking, home phoneline
networking, and Internet gateway products. Zoom recognizes
that equipment for broadband technologies is currently sold
primarily through new data communications channels like cable
service providers and DSL service providers, and Zoom is addressing
these markets. However, Zoom believes that in the near future
broadband equipment will be sold through computer retailers,
value-added resellers, Internet Service Providers, and computer
distributors in very high volumes. In addition, the traditional
computer channels are expected to be critical for the sale
of the local area networking products expected by industry
analysts to boom with the widespread penetration of broadband
service. Zoom values its customers and channel partners, and
remains committed to a broad line of Internet access products
to service their needs. "We believe that supporting
customers is good business, now and in the future," said
Manning. "While technologies may change, we believe our
customers and channels will reward our track record of ongoing
commitment." About Zoom Telephonics
Zoom Telephonics, a communications leader since 1977, designs,
produces and markets dial-up and broadband modems, wireless
LAN products, home phoneline networking devices, and other
data communication products under the Zoom and Hayes brand
names. Zoom products are available in over 3000 of the highest
volume computer retailers in the United States and over 5000
retail outlets worldwide. Zoom Telephonics is publicly traded
on NASDAQ (NASDAQ: ZOOM). |
