Zoom® Ships First V.92 Modems New standard goes beyond
V.90 for faster, more convenient 56K
Boston, MA, October 26th, 2000 -- Zoom Telephonics
Inc. (NASDAQ: ZOOM)
has begun high-volume shipment of its first V.92 modems. The
new Zoom/Modem V.92 External model 3049 and PCI internal model
3025 are believed to be the first V.92 modems to ship in volume
anywhere in the world. The V.92 standard and its companion
V.44 compression standard increase the speed of Web browsing,
file uploads, and connect times. QuickConnect is a V.92 feature
that can significantly reduce call setup time. The maximum
upload speed for V.92 modems has been increased to 48,000
bits per second (bps) from V.90's 33,600 bps, providing a
significant advantage for Internet gamers or anyone with a
file or email to upload. Perhaps most important, V.44 compression
can dramatically speed up Web browsing and other data transfers.
V.92 also includes a Modem-on-hold feature that lets
you receive a voice call while online, put your online session
on hold during the voice call, and then resume your online
session. Modem-on-hold frees up the modem's phone line for
incoming calls, which is especially important in homes with
only one phone line. Modem-on-hold requires Call Waiting and
compatible Internet service. "Industry analysts
agree that dial-up modems will be the most popular way of
accessing the Internet through 2010 and beyond," said
Frank Manning, Zoom's President and CEO. "Zoom is committed
to Internet access, and V.92 is an important part of that
commitment. Along with cable modems, DSL modems, and advanced
network products that link multiple users to the Internet,
dial-up modems will continue to be important to Zoom. We try
to provide customers with the best value in every high volume
category of Internet access products; and with dial-up modems,
that's V.92." "We don't expect V.92 service
to be available from Internet Service Providers until some
time in early 2001," said Terry Manning, Zoom's Vice
President of Marketing and Sales. "In the meantime we
are offering a product that will automatically detect whether
a central site has V.90 or V.92, and then connect appropriately.
This means that someone can use V.90 now and then use V.92
when their Internet Service Provider is ready."
"We have geared our packaging and marketing to the fact
that most people walking into a store's modem aisles today
have never heard of V.92. We are selling V.92 as 'new improved
56K' and a way to 'go beyond V.90 with the new 56K standard.'
The front of our package lists the main advantages of V.92,
and the back of the box answers V.92 questions like 'How can
I take a phone call while I'm online.' We are tying our packaging
to a marketing campaign where we will be providing in-store
training of retailers' sales staff. We will also have an advertising
campaign, including ads run by our retailer partners. And
we expect major V.92 promotional support from central site
equipment manufacturers and, down the road, Internet service
providers." In the coming months Zoom Telephonics
plans to expand its line of Zoom brand V.92 modems, and to
introduce V.92 modems under its Hayes® and Global Village®
brands. Zoom will also continue to ship V.90 modems under
the Zoom and Hayes brands. Zoom has just begun shipping
V.92 modems, which will be on-sale soon in major retail store
chains in the USA, the UK, and other countries. For
more information about the V.92 and V.44 standards, as well
as Zoom's new V.92 products, please visit www.zoom.com/products/v92_overview.html.
About Zoom Telephonics Zoom Telephonics,
a communications leader since 1977, designs, produces and
markets cable and ADSL modems, dial-up modems, wireless LAN
products, home phoneline networking devices, and other data
communication products under the Zoom, Hayes and Global Village
brands. Zoom products are available in over 3,000 of the highest
volume computer retailers in the USA and over 5,000 retail
outlets worldwide. For more information, visit Zoom at www.zoom.com. |
