IBM Announces V.90 Standard Modem Support and Upgrade Policy
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (April 21, 1998) – – IBM today announced its plans to support the recently determined International Telecommunications Union (ITU) V.90 modem standard for transmission speeds up to 56Kbps (1) across its line of 56K products.
Options by IBM will make upgrades to the new standard available free of charge to customers who have previously purchased 56K modems. Customers who have already purchased these Options by IBM 56K modems will be able to upgrade to the new V.90 standard by downloading files, after IBM qualifies and confirms the upgrade for each modem model, from the Options by IBM Web site at: http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/options/modems/v90.html.
IBM Global Services also announced today it is setting the industry pace with the global deployment of the V.90 standard across the IBM Global Network. IBM Global Services is one of the first Internet Service Providers (ISP) to implement the new V.90 standard. To date, approximately 400 network points of presence in the U.S. have been upgraded and deployment is rapidly continuing. For users to take advantage of the V.90 protocol, their modem and their ISP must support the new standard. This means IBM customers will have immediate V.90 standard-compliant connections from end-to-end, from their modem to their Internet Service Provider.
Once IBM qualifies and confirms the new V.90 standard for each modem model, IBM will post the upgrade to its web site and begin shipping modems with the new V.90 code incorporated into its 56K modem line. Options by IBM has V.90 code for its desktop 56K Modem Internet Kit and the 56K Data/Fax Modem available now on its Web site. Additional upgrades will be posted as available for IBM PC Card modems. Customers should check the Options by IBM Web site for more details on upgrading their current 56K modems. Upgrade availability and instructions may vary by country and product models.
The IBM Consumer Division currently plans to include the V.90 standard in its K56flex-based modems used in the IBM Aptiva Series of home PCs. Users of Aptiva systems should check the IBM Aptiva Web site at: http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/aptiva for updates on the availability of these modems with the new V.90 standard.
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Source: IBM