IBM plunged into Integrated Services Digital Networking yesterday with a Basic Rate Interface Adaptor for the 3174 terminal controller, a new ISDN Interface Co-processor for the PS/2 with support program, and a statement of direction on ISDN for AS/400. The 3174 ISDN Basic Rate Interface Adaptor provides downstream communication to PS/2 devices with the ISDN Interface Co-Processor/2 Model 2 and ISDN Co-Processor Support Program Version 1.1 installed at speeds up to 64Kbps; it provides four ports, each with two 64Kbps channels and a 16Kbps signalling channels to support up to eight remote PS/2s. It needs Configuration Support-C software and is out September in the US at $4,800; the software is $120 to $1,295 depending on size. It is supported at the other end by the ISDN Interface Co-Processor/2 Model 2 at the same data rates on the PS/2 50 up under MS-DOS or OS/2. That costs $1,200 from June, and the companion ISDN Co-Processor Support Program 1.1 for the PS/2 is $345, also June. And IBM also promised to provide an ISDN Basic Rate interface for the AS/400 and to offer X25 support over ISDN under OS/400 – some day.
