>>> Part 1 of 4...

Rockwell seems to be publishing a lot more info on their 56k modem than
USR and may be well ahead in terms of mind share...
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                       Rockwell Semiconductor Systems

                                   Q & A

                            56Kbps announcement

                              Technical issues

Q. How can you receive data at 56Kbps when the theoretical limit of
Shannon's Law is about 35 Kbps?

Q. Why hasn't this technology been developed before?

Q. Is this new high speed analog modem technology a compression algorithm
or a modulation scheme?

Q. What's the difference between modulation and encoding schemes?

Q. Is this new 56 Kbps analog modem technology an extension of V.34
(28.8/33.6 Kbps)?

Q. Can you define this new product within the context of ISDN, frame relay,
cable modems or ADSL?

Q. How does the user upgrade or migrate their existing modem?

Q. Does the user need an additional phone line?

Q. Will it work on long distance calls or only local calls?

Q. Can any two modems incorporating this technology connect at 56 Kbps?

Q. Will this technology be backward compatible with existing modems already
installed?

Q. What standards organizations will be involved, if any, in addition to
the ITU?

Q. What do you mean in your news release by "bridge the gap" between
current analog transmission rates and fully digital communication?

Q. Does the phone company need to install new equipment?

Q. Does the user need new equipment?

Q. Does the ISP need new equipment?

Q. Standardization efforts aside, will Rockwell's 56Kbps technique
interoperate with US Robotics' pending solution?

                         Marketing/business issues

Q. What customer support does Rockwell expect?

Q. With an early announcement, Rockwell appears to be taking the
opportunity to "evangelize" the technology before a product is ready to
ship. This is not Rockwell's usual "M.O.", why now, with this technology?

Q. When can consumers expect to see products on retail shelves?

Q. When can customers expect product from Rockwell?

Q. What will be the price premium of modems incorporating Rockwell's 56
Kbps technology over today's high-speed V.34 (33.6 Kbps) modems?

Q. How will the 56 Kbps service compare in price to other digital services?

Q. What will be the financial impact to ISPs?

Q. If there are cost increases to ISPs, won't they pass this on to the
consumer?

Q. What is the product family name?

 >>> Continued to next message...

--- Blue Wave/Max v2.20 [NR]