3Com Corporation, which employs more than 1,000 people in Ireland, has introduced a 56K modem with voice and fax facilities that doubles as a digital answering machine even when the PC is switched off.

"The US Robotics 56K Professional Message modem is . . . one of the only modem products on the market where the answering machine is fully operable without having to turn on the PC," said Mr Brendan Garry, Country Manager of 3Com Ireland.