What are 56K modems and do they really deliver?
Over the last year, technology companies have designed modems which allow connections at download speeds approaching 56Kbps. While it’s clear that these modems are faster than the 28.8Kbps standard, exactly how much faster is a controversial issue. Upload speeds, for example, continue to be limited to 33.6Kbps (primarily an issue for users who send large files to other people). And the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has capped the maximum download speed for this type of data transmission at 53K bps. But laboratory-perfect conditions are necessary to reach download speeds approaching even 53Kbps; in fact, many users report speeds in the 40-45Kbps range or lower. Although these speeds fall short of the 56Kbps originally promised by this technology, the y remain substantially faster than the current dial-up standard of 28.8Kbps. So although 56K is not a guaranteed connection rate, this technology still offers a substantial time savings for many users. NOTE: Although clearcall.net
