3Com’s Urban Challenge Program Helps Bridge The Digital Divide.

3Com Corporation in collaboration with the United States Conference of Mayors, awarded a total of $1 million in networking equipment and consulting services to 10 U.S. cities. This is the second phase of the company’s Urban Challenge program that was created to help cities integrate technology into their communities and enhance education and public communications systems.

“The Urban Challenge supports mayors who play a catalytic role in enabling all citizens to access digital information,” said David Katz, vice president of Strategic Alliances for 3Com. “As a leader in advanced Ethernet, wireless, LAN telephony and remote access solutions for education, 3Com is determined to help cities bridge the growing digital divide, and give every student an equal opportunity for a brighter future.”

The Urban Challenge program helps bridge the digital divide by working directly with mayors who are committed to integrating technology into the fabric of their communities to increase access to educational programs, job-training, health care and other municipal services.

“Every child in the nation should have the opportunity to be trained with 21st Century technology,” said Boise Mayor H. Brent Coles, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “As president of the Conference, I have worked with mayors from across the country to enhance the presence of technology in our schools and communities. We will only succeed as we establish and promote innovative public/private alliances and allocate more federal, state and local resources to this issue. 3Com’s example of corporate citizenship is one that we encourage other businesses to follow.”

Continuing the momentous success of the program, which began in 1999, 3Com also announced that it is extending the Urban Challenge program through the year 2001 with additional grants to U.S. cities. The application deadline for the new round of grants is May 1, 2001, and the winners will be announced at the June 2001 U.S. Conference of Mayors Meeting. For applications and information, go to: http://www.3com.com/urbanchallenge

3Com’s 10 Urban Challenge 2001 Winners

Atlanta, Georgia – Mayor Bill Campbell

The Atlanta Community Technology Initiative (ACT Initiative) will set up CyberCenters in areas of Atlanta that fall below the poverty level. Geared towards bridging the digital divide, Atlanta will utilize 3Com’s equipment, resources and technical expertise to provide families with necessary computer literacy training, job-skills training and access to city services, including transportation and childcare.

Detroit, Michigan – Mayor Dennis Archer

Detroit’s major focus has been to bring improvements to sections of the city’s population facing the digital divide. The city of Detroit, Detroit Public Schools, and 3Com are teaming up to provide Internet access in their after-school programs through 3Com’s Ethernet, wireless and voice technologies. This will directly benefit the Detroit Public Schools by networking them with the many after-school programs and community centers throughout the city.

Fort Worth, Texas – Mayor Kenneth Barr

Fort Worth will develop networked learning centers in select community centers and schools throughout the city, where they will be used to enrich the city’s after-school programs. Currently, nine Fort Worth community centers and 51 schools participate in after-school programs, but few have access to the Internet. With the Urban Challenge award, Fort Worth will deliver secure Internet access to classrooms that accommodate after-school programs.

Indianapolis, Indiana – Mayor Bart Peterson

Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is providing an education framework for at-risk students within the IPS system by creating 2 new schools. 3Com will be donating leading edge data communications equipment to the city for these schools, allowing these students to receive mentorship from local businesses and community role models, including members of the Indiana Pacers. The focus of the program will be to develop values, leadership and employment skills, and motivation to continue education.

Minneapolis, Minnesota – Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton

Joining with the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) eMentoring program, 3Com will provide the network infrastructure and expertise that will aid in the development workplace and academic skills to urban public school students

Oakland, California – Mayor Jerry Brown

Teaming up with Oakland Unified School District, Mayor Brown is installing wireless Local Area Networks (LAN) throughout the city’s public libraries. Working with their Youth Docent program, which trains youth in computer usage and troubleshooting and then places them as floor attendants at the local libraries, this new network will greatly expand computer access to the city’s youth.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Mayor John F. Street

Philadelphia is teaming with 3Com on an ambitious project to double the number of public access computers in the city for children and families, with the goal of ensuring that every family in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods has access to the Internet and computer training. The program, which will also provide more computers to students to use after school, is essential to the City’s campaign of closing the digital divide and increasing technology-training opportunities for all students.

Sandy City, Utah – Mayor Thomas Dolan

Sandy City will deploy 3Com’s NBX(R) LAN Telephony system in its efforts to provide every public school classroom with quality access to leading technology. The program will provide local students with the opportunities to communicate over existing network infrastructure and to learn about emerging technology such as LAN Telephony.

Troy, New York – Mayor Mark Pattison

Troy is developing the Connected Kids Project, a citywide effort to create an on-line self service database which will provide innovative enhancements to youth programs throughout the city. Troy will join with 3Com, which is providing wireless networking equipment to facilitate technology training for school teachers and program staff, while facilitating the expansion of a technology-focused education.

Vineland, New Jersey – Mayor Perry Barse

Vineland and 3Com have collaborated to provide an extensive Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) that serves the needy, the elderly, local veterans and the educational community. 3Com’s Urban Challenge grant program will provide many improvements for the advancement of education, job training and community service.

3Com’s Urban Challenge was first announced in July 1999 as an ongoing relationship with The United States Conference of Mayors. At the Conference’s 68th Winter Meeting in January 2000, 3Com presented 10 awards to cities throughout the United States, totaling $1 million worth of products and service. Last year’s ten winning cities were: Baltimore, MD; Charleston, SC; Chaska, MN; Chester, PA; Denver, CO; Glascow, KY; Madison, WI; New Orleans, LA; Pontiac, MI and Providence, RI.