Cable & Wireless Unveils LAN Internet Access Technology
Newsbytes - June 19, 1998 13:00
LONDON, ENGLAND, 1998 JUN 19 (NB) -- Cable & Wireless Communications
(C&W) has teamed up with 3Com [NASDAQ:COMS] to market a local area
network (LAN) Ethernet/Internet access package.
Known as CWIC Link, the off-the-shelf package is said to be almost
unique in the UK marketplace, since it includes dial-up Internet
access and incorporates 3Com's OfficeConnect ISDN (Integrated Services
Digital Network) LAN modem.
According to company officials, there are two versions of CWIC Link
available -- one for connecting up to four PCs and one for connecting
up to 10 PCs.
Features of the package include support for Windows 95 and Windows NT;
Netscape Communicator 4 browser software on CD-ROM; 5 megabytes (MB)
of Web space; dynamic IP (Internet Protocol) addressing; up to 10 POP3
(Post Office Protocol) e-mail addresses for the four PC version (CWIC
Link 4) and up to 20 e-mail addresses for the 10 PC version (CWIC
Link 10).
Newsbytes notes that the OfficeConnect ISDN LAN modem combines a hub
with four Ethernet ports, two voice/fax analog ports, an ISDN
connection and an IP Router for Internet access. The modem is billed
as automatically assigning bandwidth around the users phone calls.
According to C&W, the user can talk on the phone while simultaneously
sending or receiving data over the computer link.
Interestingly, the modem also incorporates a Dynamic Bandwidth
Allocation (DBA) feature, which reduces the data link to one channel
when a phone call is made or received. When the call is completed, the
higher speed (two channel) connection is automatically reinstated,
providing every computer on the LAN with maximum data link capacity.
According to C&W officials, both packages have been designed to be
installed, in around 15 minutes, by a non technical user, without
the need for calling upon qualified assistance.
Customers taking CWIC Link 4 pay an annual subscription of 350 pounds
($550) plus 295 pounds ($500) for the OfficeConnect ISDN LAN modem.
The CWIC Link 10 services costs 500 ($800) a year plus 364 pounds
($580) for the combined LAN modem and expansion hub.
Tim Smith, C&W's manager for Internet services, said that the package
deal is available on demand and should be delivered within five days.
The packages, he said, fulfill a real need among the SOHO (small
office, home office) and SME (small to medium-sized enterprise)
market for a simple, easy-to-install and low cost LAN Internet
access product.
The minimum requirements for the CWIC Link package are a basic rate
ISDN line, PCs with 10BASE-T Ethernet network interface cards and
running TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol),
Windows 95 or Windows NT and a CD-ROM drive.
3Com's Web site is at 3com.com .
o~~~ O |
