[comp.dcom.modems] $495. V.32 w/MNP-5 - anyone tried these?

bruce@ccavax.camb.com (10/19/90)

Someone posted on DECUSERVE (the DEC user Society's BBS) that he had a
flyer for Western Datacom's V.32 modem with MNP5 for $495.

I was curious, so called them and was told several things:

	1) They expect to be setting a new 'street' price for v.32
	with this offer.

	2) It takes a lot of cpu power to add v.42bis to an existing
	design. (I think this was supposed to mean not to expect a
	mere prom upgrade...)

	3) At ~$1,000 per unit, buyers are expecting v.42(bis), but at
	$495. they are not expected to be too concerned.

	4) This is a Rockwell chip based design, and it is possible that
	with a Rockwell promised new chip and a new prom (factory level
	upgrade, only) the card might well do v.32bis in the future.

	5) their card fits Vadic rack cages.

	6) There is a PC card version at the same flyer price.

	7) (not mentioning any names...) some vendors offering v.42bis at
	low prices may not have properly sorted out all licensing issues.

Anyone know anything about these modems? Their # is 1.800.262.3311

**NO affiliation at all**

csg@able (Carl S. Gutekunst) (10/21/90)

I can't say anything about this particular product, but frankly other Western
Datacomm modems have been among the worst I have ever used. Unreliable, very
poor "Hayes" emulation, bugs, and so on. Inexpensive, but who cares if it
doesn't work? I'd be very reluctant to try anything new from them.

<csg>