This was just forwarded to me from one of my users. Thought you folk might like
to read this if you havent already.
3Com first to ship
standardized fast modems
By Jim Davis
Staff Writer, CNET NEWS.COM
February 17, 1998, 5:30 p.m. PT
3Com (COMS) today became the first
vendor to ship a 56-kbps modem based on
the new international standard.
Meanwhile, 3Com and longtime arch-rival
Rockwell Semiconductor (ROK) appear to
have finally settled their differences, saying
they have finished testing that ensures
56-kbps modems from both companies are
compatible.
But just because the modems work together
now doesn't mean that the one-upsmanship
that has characterized the modem industry
throughout 1997 is over.
3Com is claiming the bragging rights as the
first vendor to ship 56-kbps modems for
consumers based on the newly minted "v.90"
industry standard. The v.90 specification was
adopted just over a week ago by the
International Telecommunications Union,
ending nearly a year of fighting between
Rockwell and 3Com's incompatible modem
technologies.
Rockwell last week said it was first to ship
software updates for the v.90 modems to its
commercial customers, companies such as
Ascend and Hayes. In turn, they are expected
to ship upgrades to ISPs (Internet service
provider) and consumers by late February or
March.
Last year, 3Com and Rockwell fought tooth
and nail to promote their incompatible x2 and
K56flex 56-kbps modem technologies,
respectively. But today both agreed at a
press conference that modems which can
connect to each other is the best strategy for
the industry.
"All of the energy that 3Com has been
channeling into the promotion of x2 is now
being channeled into the promotion of v.90.
There is a tremendous amount of energy
behind a standard that we believe will make
a consumer's life much easier" and will also
make the modem industry grow, said John
McCartney, president of the Client Access
Business unit at 3Com.
Dwight Decker, president of Rockwell
Semiconductor Systems, agreed. "This is a
significant step for the modem industry after
a difficult 1997," he said.
Difficult indeed. The major modem
manufacturers have been offering modems
since early 1997 that can deliver data at up
to a theoretical limit of 56 kbps, about twice
the speed of widely used 28.8-kbps
modems. But most modem companies
struggled as some potential buyers sat on
the sidelines waiting for the standards battle
to play out. (See related story)
Even now, analysts don't expect consumers
to jump right into the market until their ISPs
have finished upgrading to the new 56-kbps
technology, an event that could be 8 to 12
weeks off.
The good news is that users finally aren't
locked into a single, proprietary standard.
Rockwell says its new chips will allow any
modem to connect using either the v.90
standard or the older K56flex technology,
and 3Com's modems can connect using
either the v.90 standard or the X2
technology.
3Com says information on software
upgrades for older modems should be
available to consumers by the end of
February. A number of ISPs, meanwhile, are
already testing 3Com's software on their
systems, the company says.
Somehow it seems a bit slanted, but just curious as to if anyone may have an idea as to when
we might see this supported by the COMOS for PMs?
I'm terrably sorry for the bad text formating... Flame me if you will.... :-)
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Dennis D. Baker, Jr. Providing High Quality Internet Service to
V.P. Southwest Louisiana and working towards a
DelTech Industries, Ltd. better Internet Community.
dbaker@deltech.net
<paraindent><param>out,out</param>www.deltech.net (318)
433-2225 Voice/Daytime Support
</paraindent>postmaster@deltech.net (318) 626-1813
Voice/Nightime Support
info@deltech.net (318) 436-9936 Fax
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