WHY ISDN

WHY ISDN
INSTEAD
OF ANALOG

KINDS OF ISDN
EQUIPMENT

FEATURES

TO CONNECT
2 THE NET

BUFFER DELIVERS
THE MAIL

SETTING UP
YOUR OWN INTRANET

Here is a little story about my dog Buffer and his never-ending desire for more speed when connecting to The Internet.

Buffer asked, "Why is digital so much better than analog? After all, analog modems run at 56K already?"

"Humm..." I mused. "First, Buffer, I promise analog (voice grade) modems will never be faster than 64K. The same phone line has a carrying capacity at least 100 x's faster when other DSL services are used over it." Here are some more interesting facts about 56K modems

1. ) They don't always connect at 56K

2. ) They are only 56K in the receive direction. The transmit side is closer to 33K.

Buffer knitted his little brows, "I want a phone line 100 x's faster than my 56K modem right now! How can I get one?"

I pulled up a list of tariffs on my computer. "Well, Buffer, getting you even a 1Mb connection is pretty expensive. But there are ways to get phone lines that are at least twice as fast as any 56K modem. If you plan a little before getting this kind of phone service you may be able to keep your current phone line costs about the same." Buffer doesn't pay the phone bills around my house. I do. So he wasn't as interested as I had hoped, but you might be, so I'll finish my story.

Let's suppose you have two phone lines at home like I do. One is for voice and one for FAX. With an ISDN line and the right kind of equipment, you can plug both the FAX and telephone into the same ISDN adapter. They can both be used at the same time. Where Buffer and I live ISDN lines are about twice the cost of a regular phone line. But I can move data at least twice as fast as I can with a modem so I spend less time waiting. Even with the additional per min charge I am able to get more done. Buffer likes it because he can download URL's at hyperspeed.

Buffer lifted his paw, and waved me off, "I *still* want to get an even faster phone line, and since I'm not paying the phone bill..."

"Ok, Buffer," I continued, sitting down since this might take a while. "DSL's are an even faster digital service than ISDN. There are existing DSL services that can deliver speeds up to 1.544 MBits but they are expensive, about $2000/mo in most places. There are other data services like cable modems, that are very fast, like DSL's, but these services aren't readily available.

"Bottom line Buffer...If you want widely available phone service that's at least twice as fast, ISDN is probably your best choice for the time being," I explained.

Many folks complain that ISDN is still unavailable where they live and work. This may be true depending on where you live. First check with your local phone company to find out about availability of ISDN service in your area. Be sure and check out installation, and per minute charges as well as the basic subscription fees.

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