That lets the customer take the incoming call, then switch back to the Internet connection. The modems have to resume their session, but without redialing or retraining from scratch. If a customer has caller ID as well as call waiting, modem makers could fashion software that displays that an Internet user has an incoming call and what the calling number is, says U.S. Robotic's Lacey. The V.92 standard has won preliminary approval from the International Telecommunication Union, an endorsement that invariably leads to full ratification. Krechmer says he expects the standard to be set in September.
Vendors say they are gearing up to deliver modems by early next year.
PCTel, a PC software-modem maker, says it will be able to upgrade its current modems with a software download by early next year. Major modem vendors U.S. Robotics and Lucent Technologies are more aggressive, saying they will ship V.92-compliant gear by the third quarter of this year. These vendors also say they are already working on making their V.92 modems compatible with those made by other firms. Furthermore, if a V.92 modem calls a V.90 modem, it will be able to interoperate as a V.90 modem. A look at the technology behind 56K modems.