Skokie Illinois-based US Robotics Corp is first with modem software that supports the souped-up version of the V.34 modem standard that runs at 33.6Kbps. The software is for use on the company’s Courier desktop modems and Total control systems products. As well as the 33.6Kbps speed, the software also supports a proprietary 31.2Kbps standard, said US Robotics. While the International Telecommunications Union has yet to agree the standard, the V.34 working group has now agreed on the enhancements needed to boost the speed, and the firm said its software closely tracks this work. Dale Walsh, vice-president of advanced development, also commented If there are any changes to the standard, we’ll be able to implement those via software download. Although coy on specifics, the company also claims to have boosted the overall efficiency of its software, so that it consistently runs at speeds from 2,400bps to 4,800bps faster than with the previous version. The software is available immediately at no cost for owners of the company’s Courier V.Everything and V.Fast Class modems and will ship as standard in all new Courier modems. It will also be implemented on the company’s remote access servers, modem pools and high-end wide area network systems: no pricing or availability but the company did say that the 33.6Kbps software will be available on all its systems products by the year-end.
