Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Though the modems claim to be twice as fast as 28.8K models, they’re not, exactly–the higher speed only in one And unless the you’re dialing into the same type of modem, you won’t be able to take advantage of the new technology at all. Then there’s the problem “dirty” phone lines. The actual speed you get depends on how good your connection is.
Much of the confusion springs from the fact that there are two different- and incompatible-kinds of 56K modems on the market. The modem makers are warring over what will be the industry standard; that standard isn’t expected until late summer at the earliest, but could be as far away as two years. The international board that sets the standard could conceivably come up with a third one. In the meantime, it’s up to consumers to find out if their Internet provider is ready for the higher speeds, and if so, which standard it uses. Naturally, both sides are claiming they’re the VHS to the other’s Beta.
America Online has adopted U.S. Robotics’s “x2 technology.” The competing standard, called “K56Flex,” comes from Lucent Technologies and Rockwell; their chips can be found in Hayes, Diamond, Compaq and Hewlett-Packard boxes, among others. Internet providers like UUNET, Netcom and CompuServe have signed up for K56Flex.
Even with the confusion, moving up to the new modems makes sense for many users. Plenty of Internet services are already offering the faster speed. AOL has 56K up and running in several cities, and plans to add more this summer.
Are the new modems worth the trouble? Yes-especially if, like most home PC users, you’re still poking along at 14.4K. Connections to AOL’s New York x2 number are typically 50K, fast enough to pull Web pages down at a sprightly clip. There’s little chance that the new modems will become obsolete: when a single standard is finally adopted, both types will be easily upgradable, probably with free software. Since the maximum theoretical speed limit over ordinary phone lines is about 60K, one of these new modems should be the last you’ll need to buy.
