(COMTEX) AT&T WORLDNET SERVICE BEGINS ROLL-OUT OF K56flex TECHNOLOGY
AT&T WORLDNET SERVICE BEGINS ROLL-OUT OF K56flex TECHNOLOGY
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (Dec. 17) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 17, 1997--
AT&T Continues Deploying High-Speed Access, Including x2 Technology
AT&T WorldNet(R) Service today announced it has begun to deploy
K56flex(tm) technology in its network, and is on schedule to provide
56K access technology for all its customers by June 1998. AT&T began
deployment of x2(tm) technology from 3Com Corp. last month.
AT&T WorldNet Service for consumers is the largest direct Internet
service provider in the United States, with more than one million
individual customers.
Initially, AT&T is making K56flex technology available in 11(a) cities,
and plans to extend its availability to 20 more cities by year-end
1997. In addition, AT&T WorldNet Service now provides x2 technology
from 3Com Corp. in a total of 46(a) cities, and plans to offer this
access technology for customers in 56 cities by year's end. Overall,
AT&T WorldNet Service intends to offer 56K access technology in 87
cities by the end of the year.
There is no additional charge for accessing AT&T WorldNet Service using
56K technology.
"Customers are unambiguous and nearly unanimous when it comes to the
value of fast downloads from the Internet," said Dan Schulman, vice
president of AT&T WorldNet Service. "The added convenience that 56K
technology brings them is clearly an important factor in the continued
growth and usefulness of this new communications medium."
Schulman added that customers want 56K technology and speedier
retrieval because email messages and files attached to them are growing
in length, the graphical content of Web pages is becoming richer and
more information-intensive, and software such as browsers, which can be
downloaded from sites on the Web, is increasing in size.
Because there is presently no common standard for 56K technology, AT&T
WorldNet Service supports modems with both K56flex technology and x2
technology, although it will not support both in any single location.
"We're encouraged that the companies backing these competing
technologies appear to have made substantive progress toward agreement
on a common standard," Schulman said. "Our customers are frustrated by
the lack of a common standard and the need to choose between two
incompatible technologies -- x2 and K56flex, and I'm sure that they,
like us, are eager to see a speedy closure on a standard."
Schulman explained that AT&T WorldNet Service will support the common
standard, which will be designated V.PCM, when it is adopted. Major
manufacturers of 56K modems plan to offer free software that will
enable users to convert their 56K modems to the new standard. When
customers purchase 56K modems, it's recommended they look for vendors
that guarantee a software upgrade to the new standard.
Until then, AT&T WorldNet Service recommends that members planning to
purchase a 56K modem first determine which of the two 56K technologies
is supported in the local access number they use. That information is
posted in the "Service Support" section of the AT&T WorldNet Service
home page as it becomes available. AT&T WorldNet Service plans to
deploy x2 technology in the majority of its access numbers.
Due to FCC rules that restrict power output of service providers'
modems, current download speeds are limited to 53 Kbps, and actual
speeds may vary depending on line conditions. Uploads from end users to
service providers travel at speeds up to 28.8 Kbps.
AT&T WorldNet Service has designed a unique service that enables
customers to get to and use material from leading content providers in
a way best suited to each individual's needs. AT&T WorldNet Service was
selected as the top Internet service provider by Smart Money (5/97)
magazine, which cited its outstanding reliability.
AT&T WorldNet Service software for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Windows
3.11 for Workgroups and Macintosh is available by download free of
charge from the public AT&T WorldNet Web site (http://www.att.net) and
from the AT&T Corporate Web site (http://www.att.com) or by calling
1-800-WORLDNET. AT&T WorldNet is a registered service mark of AT&T
3Com is a registered service mark, and x2 is a trademark of 3Com
Corporation or its subsidiaries. K56flex is a trademark of Lucent
Technologies (a) Cities where AT&T WorldNet Service now offers
K56flex technology: Santa Rosa, Calif.; Calumet City, Ill.; Elk Grove,
Ill.; Joliet, Ill.; Framingham, Mass.; Camden, Me.; Durham, N.C.; Las
Vegas, Nev.; Allentown, Pa.; Harlingen, Tex.; Ogden, Utah Cities where
AT&T WorldNet Service now offers x2 technology: Anchorage, Alaska.;
Phoenix, Ariz., Concord, N.H.; Hayward, Calif.; Los Angeles, Calif.;
Pendleton, Calif.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; San
Francisco, Calif.; San Jose, Calif.; Santa Ana, Calif.; Sherman Oaks,
Calif.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Denver, Colo.; Clearwater, Fla.;
Naples, Fla.; Miami, Fla.; Ocala, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Naperville, Ill.;
Indianapolis, Ind.; Lawrence, Mass.; Annapolis, Md.; Bangor, Me.;
Detroit, Mich.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Charlotte, N.C.;
Belle Meade, N.J.; Burlington, N.J.; Hackettstown, N.J.; Lakewood,
N.J.; New Brunswick, N.J.; Succasunna, N.J.; New York City, N.Y.;
Farmingdale, N.Y.; Cincinnati, O.; Cleveland, O.; Portland, Ore.;
Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenixville, Pa.; Houston, Tex.; Arlington, Va.;
Norfolk- Virginia Beach, Va.; Burlington, Vt.; Milwaukee, Wis.
-0- jc/ny*
CONTACT: Mike Miller
908/658-2815 (office)
Page 1-800-865-9460, PIN 4141
email: michaeld3@att.net
OR
Mike Keady
908/221-7611 (office)
908-995-7501 (home)
mkeady@att.net
KEYWORD: NEW JERSEY INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET COMED PRODUCT
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