AT&T Co’s AT&T Paradyne unit has launched a range of software-defined modems, the Comsphere 3800 Series, claiming that it gives network managers greater flexibility. The family includes three modem models and a management system. Two stand alone models, the 3810 and 3820, and a multi-mount carrier card, the 3800, are included. The 3810 stand alone modem and multi-mount carrier card can be programmed to support dial-up, as well as both two-and four-wire leased line applications. All three models support V.32bis and V.42bis and are compatible with CCITT modem standards V.32, V.22bis, V.22 and V.21. On four-wire leased line applications, when line quality begins to deterioate, the modem first downshifts to lower speeds in an attempt to preserve the communications link. If, at that point, the line quality will not permit reliable data integrity, it will shift to single-call dial backup as a last resort, before the line is completely lost. New feature sets, such as modulation schemes and network management, can be added or changed by downloading new software over the public telephone network. The software will be loaded by Paradyne over the telephone network from its Remote Software Support Center in Largo, Florida and planned regional support centres worldwide. To manage the modems, Paradyne also announced the Comsphere 6700 Dial Network Management System. This system is PC-based and runs under MicroSoft Windows 3.0. According to Paradyne, the key advantage of the management system is its ability to support call statistics, such as call distribution and duration.
