Zoom 2812 Owner's Manual page 41

"software-upgradeable" modems may lack the appropriate
hardware to meet final requirements. To ensure its
continuing viability, Rockwell and Lucent have committed
to making any international standard 56K products com-
patible with K56Flex.
Q: How do I know if my ISP or online service is
supporting K56Flex?
A:
Many ISPs and online service providers use Rockwell
technology exclusively and most others use mixed
technology that includes Rockwell. Therefore the
likelihood is that K56Flex will be supported at some point
by your service provider. Of course, some providers will
implement 56K technology faster than others. The best
way to determine whether you can use 56K is to ask your
service provider. Remember to make sure that they are
supporting the K56Flex standard.
Q: How can I tell whether my local phone line
lets me benefit from 56K technology?
A:
56K provides speeds significantly higher than 33,600 bps
for over 80% of local phone lines. There are two ways to
tell whether 56K is likely to work for you. If you have a
V.34 modem and regularly connect as speeds of 21,600
bps or higher, 56K will likely work for you. If you are 3½
miles or less from the telephone switching office, as are
most city and suburban phone lines, you will also be
likely to benefit from a 56K modem.
may be further away, making 56K communication
unreliable or impossible.
* To determine your approximate distance from your telephone switching
office (also called "central office"), you should call your local telephone
company service representative (the number is in your phone book). Give
them your phone number and ask them for the address of the central
switching office that handles your calls. Then look up the address on a
local map and estimate the distance between your location and the
"central office." If it's less than 3½ miles, your phone line probably sup-
ports 56K technology. If it's more than 3½ miles, it probably doesn't.
Appendix A: 56K – Questions and Answers
*
Some rural phones
41