<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-10-08</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000935493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>P COM INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PCOM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001248666</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FROMM FREDERICK R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3175 S WINCHESTER BLVD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>C/O P COM INC</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMPBELL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95008</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series B Convertible Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.5232</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1039.46</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.5232</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>109861</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1039.46</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series C Convertible Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.1</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9.32</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1750</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>163130</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9.32</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series C-1 Warrant</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.15</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series C-2 Warrant</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.18</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.18</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-10-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>65252</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The preferred stock does not have an exercise date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The preferred stock does not have an expiration date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The exercise price shall increase from $.15 to $.18 on the first anniversary of the issue date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The exercisable date shall be upon company stockholder approval of an amendment to P-Com's Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the shares of Common Stock from 69,000,000 to at least 600,000,000, but in no event later than 90 days following the issue date, October 8, 2003 (the &quot;Amendment Date&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The expiration date shall be on the 5th anniversary of the Amendment Date, as defined in footnote 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The exercise price shall increase from $.18 to $.22 eighteen months after the issue date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Barbara Crowder for Frederick R. Fromm</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-10-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

