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Technology Stocks : Ascend Communications (ASND) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sepku who wrote (22236)	11/9/1997 11:26:00 PM
From: Bill DeMarco	Respond to of 61433

Hello All, I've been following ASND for 6 months now and considering entry soon. Here's some info on Ascend.... Bandwidth Starved? Consider Bonding (11/09/97; 1:38 p.m. EDT) By Salvatore Salamone, InternetWeek Sometimes there's a thin line between networking and desperation. Ask any telecommuter or user in a small remote office. Analog connections are often the only practical alternative for their remote access needs, but today's analog modems only support speeds of up to 56 Kbps. Enter bonding of multiple channels or modems-an access method some IT managers deem tricky, but many are willing to try. New analog line-bonding products from 3Com, Multi-Tech Systems and Diamond Multimedia Systems could give this technique critical mass. These products are based on standards or open specs, such as the Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol and Windows-based modem bonding. 3Com's OfficeConnect Remote Dual Analog unit, unveiled this week, incorporates two modems using the x2 flavor of 56K technology into a single dial-up router. The device can be used with an ISP that supports MP, a standard feature in virtually all internetworking equipment used by ISPs. But whether the ISP has activated it is another question. "Most ISPs can turn this feature on in their equipment, but do not have a way to bill for the service," said Joe Celia, North American product manager in the Remote Access Products Division of 3Com. The OfficeConnect device includes a feature called dial-on-demand, which automatically adds or drops the second line according to the traffic load. It also allows a user to connect to two different locations simultaneously. The OfficeConnect has an integrated four-port hub. Users connected to the unit can dial out and share access to the dual modems. The device also can be set up to receive calls. OfficeConnect Remote Dual Analog will be available at the end of this month for $745. Diamond Multimedia this week announced Shotgun, a technology that boosts Internet access speeds by bonding two 56-Kbps analog lines into a single 112-Kbps channel. Shotgun technology improves on the bonding features available within the Windows operating system, according to Diamond. Specifically, Shotgun adds bandwidth-on-demand features that can automatically connect the second line during peak usage and disconnect a second line when Internet traffic to the user is low. Shotgun technology will not be sold directly to users. Instead, it will likely be offered as an added service by ISPs to their customers. Shotgun technology incorporates Ascend's Multichannel Protocol Plus (MP+), which has been included in Ascend products since 1993. Any ISP using Ascend's MAX line of WAN access switches has MP+ and should be able to support Shotgun. Multi-Tech Systems last month released its CommPlete Communications Server that combines two 56-Kbps connections into one 92-Kbps link. Why not 112 Kbps? Officials at Multi-Tech said 46 Kbps is closer to the actual connection rates users get when using 56-Kbps modems-two channels of 46-Kbps yield 92 Kbps. The CommPlete Communications Server can use Multilink PPP to bond up to five modems for a connection speed of 184 Kbps. With modem bonding alternatives that rely on open approaches, will there still be interest in proprietary devices? According to IT managers, the answer is yes. Earlier this year, Transend Corp. introduced a device with two integrated 33.6-Kbps modems, with the device required at each end of a connection. That approach fits some users' needs. "A company can give its telecommuters 67-Kbps access," said Raymond Lopez, a consultant at Rosewall and Associates, which designs and installs remote access solutions.

To: sepku who wrote (22236)	11/10/1997 8:04:00 AM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 61433

Style, I cannot dissagree with your facts about AOL and MSN. You always are accurate in your research and knowledge. I do not believe MSFT has made a serious effort at dethroning AOL as of yet. MSN is still beefing up its network so as to have the capacity. Note the recent contract by MSFT to upgrade their backbone. I do not believe MSFT wants to get into the problem that AOL had with inadequate service. My stance is just increase all the networks so ASND, COMS, etc. make more money<G> Glenn