Service Represents Broadest Deployment of New 56 Kbps Standard
FAIRFAX, Va., June 23, 1998
---UUNET Technologies, a global leader in Internet communications solutions and a subsidiary of WorldCom Inc., today announced the immediate availability of V.90-based dial access in more than 700 U.S. Points of Presence (PoPs) and more than 300,000 ports throughout the U.S. The new V.90 service, which allows users to access the Internet at 56 Kbps using standard analog phone lines and inexpensive modems, represents by far the widest deployment of V.90 technology to date.
"Adoption of the V.90 standard gives customers both improved performance and ensured compatibility. With V.90 now in place, we fully expect 56 Kbps access to become the most popular way for consumers to reach the Internet," said Alan Taffel, vice president of marketing at UUNET.
Internet access at 56 Kbps has been available through UUNET and other providers for more than a year, but two competing and incompatible implementations of the technology, K56flex and x2, have slowed its adoption and created market confusion. Recently, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) ratified the new V.90 standard to ensure 56 Kbps interoperability among all modem vendors and service providers.
UUNET's adoption of the V.90 standard gives dial customers and reseller end-users faster access to the Internet along with the assurance of compatibility that comes from a common standard. UUNET's resellers include EarthLink, and MSNú Premier and UUNET is also one of the portfolio of providers for AOLnet, the dial-up network used by America Online's members.
All current UUNET analog dial services will support V.90-based 56 Kbps access, including Alterdial, Internet 9-5, VIP Reseller Dial and Extralink Remote. The services will also continue to support the K56 flex implementation. Most vendors of K56flex and x2 modems are currently making provisions to offer upgrades to the V.90 standard through software downloads via the Internet. UUNET will offer upgrades at no charge to customers who purchased their modems from UUNET.
Pricing and Availability
Adoption of the V.90 standard has been completed in more than 700 U.S. Points of Presence (PoPs) and more than 300,000 ports throughout the UUNET Dial Access Network. Plans to implement the standard in a total of over 500,000 ports are expected to be completed within the year. UUNET offers V.90 dial access at no additional cost to its dialup users.
