Chapter 3. A Brief Glimpse Into The Future
The future, and the present, if you live in the right areas is all digital.
ISDN "Modems"
ISDN is an all digital technology, so the word modem is used only for historical reasons. In
reality, ISDN devices are either Terminal Adaptors (TA’s) or as ISDN TA to an Ethernet routers.
Cable "Modems"
Cable modems are really Broadband Networking Adaptors. They aren’t really modems either. But they are fast, and they’re very nice for home internet access.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line Technology: High speed over the same copper wires you have now, but
with all new phone line equipment at the phone company’s central offices (COs). We’re still
waiting for this.
Our best indications are that it will be five to ten years before we will lay our modems to rest. At that time some kind of 24 hour a day permanent internet connectivity will probably be as ubiquitous as the telephone line is today. Until then we need modems. Now let’s get back to the analog world again.