NDC Launches E-commerce Web Site to Address the HomeNetwork Needs of Consumers With Broadband...

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 1999--

Plans Call for Electronic Referrals and Revenue Sharing With Cable

Operators Who Offer Do-It-Yourself Installation Option To

Multi-Computer Households

The company that made home computer networks a Saturday

The growing demand for home networking has been spurred by the widespread adoption of broadband access to the Internet offered by cable and xDSL providers.

To address this growing demand, NDC Communications Inc. has tailored www.buysohoware.com to consumers with minimal knowledge of broadband technology, which cable operators are adopting to provide Internet access at speeds up to 100 times faster than dialup services. The site is also designed to provide hot links to and from cable operators for referral and revenue-sharing purposes.

E-commerce is an element of a business model structured specifically for the broadband revolution, according to Andy Chang, NDC vice president for sales and marketing. It gives cable operators the option of installing home networking products themselves or referring customers to the new NDC site for direct purchase and self-installation.

Chang added that the new site will also support providers of xDSL Internet access, which delivers high-speed communications over telephone lines.

"Although Internet access technology is rapidly advancing, NDC's SOHOware is just as easy to buy, install and use as ever before," Chang said.

Consumers can configure their home network online before making a purchase decision, with the guidance of a "network calculator." A user profile is build based on the number of desktop and/or notebook PCs to be connected, type of modem, a choice of wired or wireless solutions, and basic 10Mbps or Fast Ethernet.

A menu of application options includes word processing/spread sheets, e-mail, database access, multimedia, graphical/video data streams, on-line gaming, and all-of-the-above. Based on answers to the questionnaire, the required products are displayed with prices and a "buy" window.

Products available at www.buysohoware.com include the CableFREE wireless networking line -- desktop starter kit, PCMCIA card, ISA card, combination (wired and wireless) starter kit, and NetBlaster, a wireless-to-Ethernet bridge for sharing broadband Internet access by wired and wireless networks. Also available are SOHOware wired network starter kits and expansion kits.

NDC will continue to operate its SOHOware Web site (www.sohoware.com) to provide complete information on home networking products, technologies and applications. The company will also continue to merchandise the SOHOware brand through retail channels, although certain products developed for broadband applications may be available only through the e-commerce site, Chang said.

For the past year, NDC has been significantly enhancing its business model to recognize the cable industry as a powerful new channel to consumers. "At the top of cable operators' list of qualifications for home network equipment vendors is ease of installation and use, for which SOHOware is already renowned among consumers and independent testing laboratories," Chang said.

"However, such capabilities as e-commerce, around-the-clock customer service and a willingness to collaborate on custom consumer products are new to the model, and we have a head start in establishing a position as a valued business partner to cable operators."

By installing a SOHOware home network in conjunction with a cable modem, households with multiple computers users can share Internet access for data and entertainment applications under a single service contract. Forrester Research estimates that 25 percent (16 million) of online households in the U.S. will have broadband connectivity to the Internet within three years.

About NDC Communications Inc.

Founded in 1990 with a corporate mission of "Maximizing the Convenience of Networking," NDC provides convenience, comprehensive and affordable wired and wireless networking products to the business and consumer segment. NDC has been one of the leading suppliers for IEEE802.11 compliant wireless LAN products for global OEMs and wireless solution providers since 1995.

The company's retail SOHOware networking product family focuses on consumers, SOHOs and small businesses to deliver the distinctive value proposition of "More Net. Less Work." NDC is a member of BlueTooth and HomeRF alliance. NDC Communications' U.S. headquarters is based in Sunnyvale.

The company is privately held. For more information on NDC Communications and its products, call 800/632-1118 or visit the company's Web site at http://www.ndclan.com or the SOHOware Web site at http://www.sohoware.com.