56 K Modems
Most common questions about 56k modems. Covers both Flex and USR x2 technologies.
- What is a 56k modem?
- Will 56k modems allow me to connect to the Internet at 56k?
- When you say "56k" -- is that 56 kilobytes per second?
What is a 56k modem?
A 56K modem allows your computer to talk to another computer with a 56k modem at 56,000 bits per second (that's about 7,000 bytes per second).
Will 56k modems allow me to connect to the Internet at 56k?
Currently, No. No phone line is able to transfer information at 56k. If the FCC raises the speed limit on phone lines above the 53k limit, then your modem will be ready. Even so, your modem speed is related to your phone line quality.
When you say "56k" -- is that 56 kilobytes per second?
No. Communication transfer rates are almost always counted in bits (an eighth of a byte). That means that a 28,800 k connection is transferring data at 3600 kilobytes per second. This can be confusing because most of the computer industry relates to "bytes" of information. You can take the transfer rate and divide by 8.
Last Updated: Thursday, March 25, 1999
