Rockwell Announces 1Mbps Digital Modem Technology That Matches Conventional
Analog Modems In Price, Simplicity
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 1997--
New technology is unveiled concurrent with ITU industry standards
meeting to help lay groundwork for the next step in high-speed
Internet connectivity beyond K56flex modems
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems has announced a new technology for modems that can be priced, sold and installed much like today's
popular V.34 and K56flex modems, yet offer downstream data transfer speeds that are 10 to 20 times faster.
The announcement was made this week to coincide with an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) meeting focused on developing
standards for this new technology.
Designed exclusively with the consumer in mind, Rockwell's Consumer Digital Subscriber Line (CDSL) modem technology offers an
affordable, 1Mbps solution for Web browsing and remote computing over standard telephone lines. At the same time, it preserves the same
straightforward retail marketing and deployment model of conventional V.34 and K56flex analog modems.
Rockwell believes Consumer DSL(tm) represents the next logical step after K56flex modems, and has elected to unveil the technology early in
the standards development process in order to solicit the broadest possible industry participation among the companies who must collectively
define an interoperability standard for it.
''Internet users are starving for more bandwidth, and it's important that we begin working on the next Internet connectivity breakthrough even
as K56flex modems are establishing their place in the market,'' said Raouf Halim, vice president and general manager of Rockwell's Network
Access Division.
''We hope that by presenting this technology very early in the ITU discussions we can accelerate the standardization process,'' Halim said.
''A year or so from now we want to see a seamless transition from 56Kbps PCM modems to this next higher-speed technology.''
Rockwell has taken the first step by announcing CDSL concurrent with this week's ITU Study Group 15 meeting, which is focusing on a
recently established category for this type of technology called G.adsl lite.
''Additionally, we look forward to collaborating with other industry leaders in the appropriate forums and standards bodies where we will
detail our technology,'' Halim added.
Rockwell expects that product and service roll-outs for the new technology could begin as early as the second half of 1998. Once telephone
companies adopt the new technology it will offer the next logical performance progression after K56flex modems, although K56flex modems
are expected to remain ubiquitous for a number of years. Additionally, Rockwell expects to deliver CDSL modems which incorporate all
existing modem modulations, such as K56flex and V.34, to provide the broadest global interoperability possible.
Similar to ADSL Technology
Although similar to industry-standard Discrete Multitone (DMT) ADSL technology, CDSL can be implemented more cost-effectively because it
operates at a lower, 1Mbps data rate that is ideal for Web browsing and remote computing. Additionally, CDSL technology eliminates the
ADSL ''splitter'' equipment and associated wiring that phone companies previously had to install at subscribers' homes to separate POTS and
ADSL frequencies. This allows CDSL modems to simply be plugged into telephone outlets just as conventional modems are. PC OEMs and
retail modem manufacturers will be able to sell CDSL modems through their traditional distribution channels.
Always Connected
The elimination of splitter requirements at the customer premises also allows CDSL technology to maintain a continuous connection between
the PC and the phone company. This will make it possible for PC users to be on a phone call at the same time they're connected to the
Internet using the same standard line. CDSL applies innovative techniques to accommodate the varying line impairments caused by concurrent
operation of POTS over the same line. CDSL can rapidly shift data rates in response to these varying line impairments to always provide the
highest possible data rate on the line.
''The real breakthrough of CDSL is its ability to operate concurrently with POTS calls and without a splitter,'' said Michael Henderson,
marketing director for Rockwell's ADSL technology. ''Rockwell has developed innovative techniques for CDSL which enable the modem to
remain always connected, and allow easier, less expensive deployment of this solution. We believe that T1/E1.413 standard DMT ADSL will
continue to be used for provisioning the highest data rate service possible, and serving an important segment of the market.''
CDSL technology's low cost will make it affordable to create modems at traditional retail modem price points that implement CDSL and all
existing analog data and fax modem modulations, including K56flex, V.34, V.32bis, V.17 and V.29.
Rockwell believes this technology will enable leading telephone companies to deploy DSL based Internet Access to consumers sooner than
expected. Additionally, Rockwell believes this will allow telephone companies to provide a broad range of DSL type services to consumers.
It also offers cost benefits to the telephone companies since they can activate service simply by installing CDSL equipment in their central
offices for those customers who choose to take the service. A high-speed asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) or frame relay data network
will likely be used to tie the central offices together and to give Internet Service Providers access to CDSL customers.
CDSL technology also strikes a balance between the reach required to accommodate the greatest possible number of subscribers, and the
speed necessary to significantly improve Web browsing and remote-computing performance. With CDSL technology's 18,000-foot reach, it
will be possible to accommodate subscribers even if they are at the edge of their phone company's service area. CDSL subscribers will be
able to achieve up to 1Mbps downstream speeds and 128Kbps upstream speeds, depending on line conditions and length.
A Broad Spectrum of DSL Technologies
CDSL is a key component in Rockwell's growing family of DSL products and technologies. ''DSL technology will fuel the next generation of
modem communication products, and is expected to extend the life of modems for at least a decade,'' Halim said. ''Rockwell is uniquely
positioned to benefit from this technology shift. We have a long history in High Bit Rate Digital Subscriber line (HDSL) technology, including
migration to the latest HDSL 2 standards under development. Rockwell is a market leader in Symmetric DSL (SDSL) Internet access
solutions with its ZipWire product family. And now, with our pioneering work in Consumer DSL technology, no other company has the
communications product line breadth that Rockwell has.''
Through its September 1996 acquisition of Brooktree Corp., Rockwell has been a pioneer in industry-standard HDSL technology that is now
used to provision the overwhelming majority of the world's new digital T1/E1 connections. In 1996 and 1997, Rockwell introduced the first
members of its ZipWire family of mid-rate DSL solutions for business connectivity applications and for low-cost T1/E1 provisioning and
multi-service ''pairgain'' voice/data/fax applications in emerging countries.
Together, this growing family of DSL products leverages Rockwell's long-time modem expertise in core digital signal processing and related
technologies to take modem connectivity into the next decade and beyond.
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems and Electronic Commerce, based in Newport Beach, Calif., is a leading worldwide provider of
semiconductor system solutions for personal communications electronics and systems, software and services for the global call center
industry. Rockwell Semiconductor Systems comprises five divisions -- Personal Computing, Network Access, Personal Imaging, Wireless
Communications, and Digital Infotainment. Personal Computing is a leading supplier of communications and media processing products for the
PC. Network Access offers a broad line of high-bandwidth communications and networking devices including central site modems, xDSL, ATM
and T1/E1 transceiver products. Digital Infotainment focuses on products for the digital consumer electronics information and entertainment
markets. Personal Imaging is the world leading supplier of devices for facsimile products and develops and manufactures semiconductors for
multifunctional peripherals, printers, personal video and digital imaging products. Wireless Communications develops cordless and cellular
chipsets, GPS, power amplifier and front end receiver components for all major wireless standards. The Electronic Commerce Division,
based in Wood Dale, Ill., is a leading supplier of call center systems and personalized electronic commerce applications software.
Rockwell is a global electronics company with leadership market positions in industrial automation, semiconductor systems, and avionics and
communications, with projected FY97 sales of approximately $8 billion and 44,000 employees. Rockwell's world headquarters is located in
Costa Mesa, in Orange County, Calif.
NOTE: Consumer DSL is a trademark of Rockwell International Corp. K56flex is a trademark of Rockwell International Corp. and Lucent
Technologies. |
