On Fri 08 Mar at 17:03 Rod Speed (3:711/934.2) wrote to Kris Roebuck:

 RS> Thats essentially what it is already between the exchanges 
 RS> with the vast bulk of the inter exchange links now fibre 
 RS> optic and hence digital.

 RS> Its digital right at the line card in a modern digital exchange, the only 
 RS> analog is on the copper pair to your house.

Unfortunately there can be be a Digital - Analogue - Digital conversion at
the exchange because Telstra didn't have the right equipment to put in a
direct digital link between the exchange interface to a RIM or RCM and the
AXE / S12 switch at the exchange.

This extra D - A - D conversion will stop V.34 modems from achieving 28800
bps at reasonably low Bit Error Rates.

 RS> The Coalition promised big changes on ISDN pricing etc, it
 RS> remains to be seen what gets delivered on those promises tho.

Hint: Alcatel's Liverpool factory is quite busy enough as it is, without
having to produce RIM-ISDN gear at twice the currently planned rate.

--- msgedsq 2.1