- Curtis Turner

For years, 33.6K was thought to be the practical transmission speed limit over analog phone lines. Not any more. New x2 technology from U.S. Robotics shatters this barrier. Now you can get up to 56K of actual transmission speed when you download.

x2 technology takes advantage of the typical network configuration found when an analog subscriber connects to a digitally connected server. Because it bypasses the analog-to-digital conversion in the downstream path, x2 can use nearly all of the available 64K network bandwidth. (Upstream data, typically less speed sensitive, travels at the standard V.34 rate.)

The result is a completely new kind of transmission technique. Based on "encoding" rather than "modulation," it can give you download speeds that you never thought possible. What's more, with standard V.42 bis compression, x2 can download at speeds up to a blistering 230.4K.

Whether you're surfing the net, telecommuting from home, or accessing information from a mobile location, x2 can help you get what you want, when you want it.

Q: What about uploads?
A: x2 downloads (receives data) at up to 56Kbps. It uploads (sends data) at up to 33.6Kbps

Q: Why doesn't x2 go 56K in both directions?
A: x2 Technology is asymmetric. It sends and receives at different speeds to take advantage of the digital connections most ISPs (Internet service providers) have to the public phone network. Note that V.34 is also asymmetric; it can increase speed in one or the other direction, as line conditions allow.

Q: Will Helicon On Line offer x2 Technology?
A: x2 will be available in most of Helicon On Line's sites, it is a part of our ongoing coverage wide upgrade.

Q: When will it be available for TWD customers?
A: x2 should be available in mid to late January.