Israeli newspaper Globes has reported that IBM Microelectronics has won a deal from 3Com to produce fast communications chips for the networking company. The deal is worth $10 million. The newspaper said that the new chips will appear next year and is codenamed Pacific. The chips will be used in 3Com switches and will be able to handle a large number of the different protocols currently available. The semiconductors will be designed at 3Com's Herzliya R&D centre and will be fabbed out by Big Blue. ® Click for more stories Click for story index