On Nov 29, 1996 at 17:01 hrs, David Drummond of 3:640/305 wrote to John Clarke:

Hello David,

JC>> A note of caution before you race off and have your modems 
JC>> converted.

JC>> In Oz we use the European standard 64Kb/s digital links 
JC>> while USA uses US standard 56Kb/s digital links.  Both 
JC>> standards are ratified by the ITU-T BUT the two are NOT 
JC>> compatible.  Any modem converted to the USR 56KB/s standard 
JC>> would ONLY be usable in the USA.

JC>> Unless you want to sell the modem to someone in the USA when 
JC>> you have finished with it, having the conversion done would 
JC>> be a waste of time and money (freight costs) IMHO.

 DD> The latest PC World mag arrived on my desk today.

 DD> Banksia Press release announces the imminent arrival of the 56k 
 DD> banksia modem (second half 1997).

 DD> USR Sportsters now selling will be upgradeable to 56K.

Unless I am completely missing the boat here the X2 technology relies on a
56Kb/s digital channel and only one D-A conversion.  Who is going to
provide the 56Kb/s digital channel?  

I doubt Telstra or Optus will as their transmission equipment would be
based on the 64Kb/s channel and 2Mb/s (30 64Kb/s channels) E1 ITU-T system.
 This system doesn't have any common elements with the US 56Kb/s channel
and  1.5Mb/s (24 56Kb/s channels) T1 system until well above these rates -
its either 622Mb/s or 2.5Gb/s if my memory serves me well.

As such I don't see any use for the 56Kb/s so called X2 technology in Oz.

Now if there was a 64Kb/s version that would be different.  I've asked Joe
F if this is in the pipeline.

Comments anyone?

Regards ... John
@EOT:

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