From: lee@dlpco.dlpco.COM (Lee Penn )
Subject: Digital telephone line for remote sites
Resent-From: mmdf@xenitec.on.ca
Submit-To: scogen@xenitec.on.ca
Organization: [resent by] The SCOGEN gateway and Propagation Society
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 13:08:43 GMT
Precedence: bulk

In biz.sco.general I wrote:

>>We are seeing customers who want remote sites with a small number 
>>of terminals and printers; typical is 2 terminals + 1 printer.

One response is:

>I don't see why 2 terminals + printer requires anything more than a
>leased phone line and a pair of:

>v32.bis modems in sync mode.
>4 port muxes.

>Digital lines are nice but pricey.  I've run 8 ports on v32 sync.  Multitech
>has commodity pricing on this or roll your own with an Astrocom mux
>and a Rockwell based modem.  Fairly reliable.

Right now, digital lines are either less expensive than leased lines
or are marginally more expensive.  For the better quality and
speed, digital is clear winner.

We have used a async dialup solution from BayTech which uses normal
dialup modems and either a 4 or 8 port MUX.  This works really well
as long as you have decent quality telephone lines.  It is the "quality"
issue that is the rub for dialup connections.

At one customer, we spent over 4 months working with the phone 
company to resolve line problems.  We had error correction modems
in place, but the quality was so bad that the line would either
drop or the data rate would actually stop for long periods while
the modems resent data to correct for errors.  It was a terrible
situation.  FINALLY reached one person at the phone company who
would even spell data and who really understood the problem.
THEN, we actually got a solution.  It cost many many manhours
to resolve this.

At another customer, I cannot connect to his modems thru his 
telephone exchange.  The modems will not establish a connection
though they try like crazy.  I cannot even connect to his fax
with my fax!  The devices will simply no synch up.  It is
clearly a telephone company problem, but we cannot get the
phone company to act since voice connections work perfectly!

SO:  What my topic is REALLY all about is to research good
, cost effective, and reliable ways of moving data between locations
at speeds greater than 300 baud!  

I believe this country is badly in need of a data network which 
is nation wide and reliable.  X25 could be a solution.  ISDN is
looking good, but does not appear to be here yet.  Digital lines are
here, but the hardware to effectively use the lines is just beginning
to show up.

BTW:  Baytech will have a digital line mux available early in
1993.  Will have to purchase a DSU/CSU, but they are dropping in
cost too.

Also...  support of remote sites is best done with DIALUP if it
is a local call.  If one has to go long distance, then the long
distance charges will exceed the cost for digital service if there
is much use.

================================================================================
Lee Penn,  DLP Technologies, Inc.                     Voice: 513 232-7791
SCO Advanced Product Center                           FAX: (513) 232-7801
7444 Jager Ct.
Cincinnati, OH  45230-4344                           email: lee@dlpco.COM

Newsgroups: biz.sco.general