23B+D - 23 data channels on a PRI in the US.
>information that I read that if PRI isn't available (Don't ask), it will
>support some form of Channelized T1? The reason I ask is that we've
Not yet. It will support channelized T1 dialins in a coping upgrade to
the software.
>required of analog modems and digital channel banks. The PM3 seems to be
>(finally) an answer to that, removing at least 2 of the conversions. Does
>it actually remove more at the CO of the phone company as well?
No, to the phone company it is just another PRI (or channelized) line.
>also heard that USR might have something in the works, too. How soon
>after this technology is in place will Livingston be supporting it? And
We support standards. If it becomes a standard, we will look at supporting
it. If it is like the V.FC and V.FAST, you won't see us support it. In the
long run jumping on new, proprietary technologies hurts more than it helps.
You're then stuck supporting it when it invariably fails to become a standard.
Look at the number of modems that still support V.FC and/or V.FAST even though
V.34 has been out for a long time.
>(if they do support it), will it be a software upgrade, or will we have to
>switch out modem cards? (Software upgrades usually can only go so far,
>but with a digital modem its hard to tell. <G>)
No way to tell. Until they actually have some working systems and published
specs, there is no way to tell if it will be a software issue or require
new hardware. And even when it is out, unless some real demand appears for
it, it won't get support. Going from 28.8 to 33.6 was a real no-brainer,
it is a simple extension to V.34. This leap is more like going from analog
to ISDN than from 28.8 to 33.6. So it may very well fizzle out. The
technology trail is littered with interesting ideas (personally I don't think
this one is very interesting) that just never caught on.
Remember Telebit PEP modems? At the time they were better than alternatives.
But they died because the market passed them by and the standards boards
picked an alternate signalling standard.
-MZ
-- Livingston Enterprises - Chair, Department of Interstitial Affairs Phone: 800-458-9966 510-426-0770 FAX: 510-426-8951 megazone@livingston.com For support requests: support@livingston.com <http://www.livingston.com/> Snail mail: 6920 Koll Center Parkway #220, Pleasanton, CA 94566 See me in person: Internet Expo, Boston, MA, October 16-17, Booth 422 ;-)