Catching up with 56K: Standard or not, ISPs are deploying 56K modems

The duel continues between K56flex technology from Rockwell and Lucent Technologies, and X2 technology from 3Com. While no standard yet exists, Internet service providers are deploying the high-speed modems in their networks in an effort to keep up with customer demand.

Both K56flex and X2 claim to be software-upgradeable to the impending ITU-T standard. But the choice ISPs make depends on what headend equipment they've already installed in their networks.

For example, 3Com doesn't license its X2 technology to other headend equipment makers. So if an ISP wants to offer X2 modems, it has to buy 3Com equipment.

Equipment makers that support K56flex impose similar constraints.

"When you're committed to Ascend equipment, you have no choice," said Vijay Rajamani, analyst at Cowlen and Co., a research firm in Boston. "You have to do K56flex."

That's what UUNet did. The ISP, one of Ascend's largest customers, recently announced 56 kb/s service and has deployed K56flex-compliant modems in its networks. UUNet will offer 56 kb/s to more than 10 million end users through its subscribers and resellers. The ISP said the ability to upgrade was the catalyst for the offering. "We wouldn't have deployed the service in advance of a standard if the modems couldn't be upgraded," said Alan Taffel, vice president of marketing and business development for UUNet.

The X2 camp also recently got a boost. MCI announced it is deploying the technology in 300 cities.

So what's really out there in terms of service? Rajamani, who surveys national ISPs about their installed modems every three months, said the score card looks pretty even with about a third of ISPs using X2, a third using K56flex, and a third deploying both technologies in their networks.

"We're finding that these numbers are steady for the rest of the year," said Rajamani.

Still, about a quarter of ISPs are waiting to fully deploy 56 kb/s.

"The service providers are not faced with an either/or decision," said Rebecca Wetzel, director of Internet consulting for TeleChoice. "But they're loath to make a decision before there's a standard."

Deploying 56K is also an expensive undertaking for smaller ISPs, Wetzel said.

Most providers and modem vendors hope the ITU-T will vote on a 56 kb/s standard in 1998, but some want to accelerate the process. Lucent, for example, is submitting several proposals, including details on start-up procedures and transmission rates for the modems, to the ITU-T committee meeting in Orlando, Fla., this month. The chip maker hopes to see a standard drafted by February.

Until then, some end users will still be stuck playing a match-up game with their providers. For example, UUNet customers who already have X2-compliant modems won't be able to access the Internet via UUNet at 56 kb/s.

UUNet officials said that's a temporary situation. "It doesn't make sense for us to make an investment in X2 for only a few months," said Taffel. "We believe in standards. There will be one."

Some experts say the lack of a standard hasn't slowed deployment of 56 kb/s, but that the demand for fast Internet access and the booming market for PCs that ship with 56 kb/s modems have made adoption of the technology very rapid. The deployment of pulse code modulation 56 kb/s modems has happened at a faster rate than the implementation of V.34 28.8 kb/s products, said Rajamani.

ANOTHER TELECOM POWER PLAY Allegheny Power and Hyperion Telecommunications last week announced a joint venture under which Allegheny subsidiary Allegheny Communications Connect will build fiber optic networks for Hyperion. The joint venture, Allegheny Hyperion Telecommunications, will provide competitive telephone services via the networks.

NEW NAME, NEW PRODUCT FOR GLOBESPAN Globespan Technologies last week changed its name to Globespan Semiconductor Inc. and announced that it is developing a 1 Mb/s DSL chip set. The name change represents the company's intent to expand into the megabit modems semiconductor market.