Cisco Offers New Internet Service Equipment

Cisco Systems Inc. said it will ship new equipment that makes it easier for companies to combine voice, video and data on one network as rivals 3Com Corp. and Newbridge Networks Corp. formed a venture aimed at the same customers. Cisco and the 3Com-Newbridge alliance are targeting businesses that want to let customers and employees use the public phone network to communicate with the company’s private computer network. Both announcements were made at the ComNet industry trade show in Washington. CompuServe Network Services said it will use Cisco’s new routing product to introduce a high-speed, integrated Internet service. The savings for businesses using the new technology could be as much as 30% to 50% of a company’s communication costs, said Dennis Brouwer, vice president of product marketing for CompuServe Network Services.