56K Basics

• Introduction

• How it works

• 3 things you need to use 56K

• Standards wars

• "I can't even get 28.8K now"

• "Should I buy 56K now?"

Standards wars

Prior to February, 1998, there was no standard for 56K modems. You had a choice between two proprietary 56K protocols: x2 from U.S. Robotics, or K56flex from Rockwell and Lucent.

If you buy company A's proprietary 56K protocol, you won't be able to call a modem using company B's proprietary 56K technology and get the full speed. You'll still be able to connect 28.8 or 33.6K, though, just as you do now, so you won't be totally sunk.

To a certain extent, that's still true. There is now an ITU 56K modem standard, called V.90, but it will take some time before Internet Service Providers upgrade their equipment to support V.90. This situation may last until summer of 1998. Until then, you will need to use the same 56K technology your ISP uses: either K56flex or x2.