FF> The Optus system is totally different to a standard PSTN system, so the 

 FF> above

 FF> does not hold true.



 FF> The "local loop" in an Optus connection is the length of
cable from the 

 FF> back of

 FF> your phone/modem to the little encoder/decoder box sitting against the 

 FF> front

 FF> wall of your house. From there, the analogue signal is converted to a 

 FF> 64kbps

 FF> data stream, which is sent off down the coax cable, which is then put on 

 FF> to a

 FF> fibre cable, which then can send it anywhere without any signal loss, 

 FF> hence one

 FF> big exchange can cover huge geographical areas.



 FF> To any modem, the local loop is only several metres in length, as opposed 

 FF> to

 FF> hundreds or even thousands of metres in Telstra's case.



 Want it.......AND I WANT IT,....NOW



Russell



--- Terminate 4.00/Pro