Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!asuvax!glisten!mike
From: mike@glisten.UUCP (Michael Wendel)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Overseas Mail Order (Was: Re: Where can I get Telibit modems from)
Summary: You may have big problems buying US versions of modems for use in
	 foreign countries.
Message-ID: <115@glisten.UUCP>
Date: 12 Oct 89 21:39:57 GMT
References: <1989Sep17.182159.12101@trevan.uucp> <37263@conexch.UUCP> <38736@conexch.UUCP>
Organization: General Logistics International, Mesa, Arizona
Lines: 30


I must caution you against buying modems in the US for use overseas. One
thing that is often overlooked is the different telephone company
standards and government regulations. There are usually different
(international) versions of the modems for use outside the US.

While you may save a few hundred dollars (maybe even $1000) the modem
may not be registered in the country (meet the government regulations)
and may not hook up to the phone line (we take for granted the RJ11
modular jacks used in the US - this is not the standard internationally).
I learned the hard way, trying to install a US domestic modem in
Geneva, Switzerland. We had it partially working, but in the end
send the modem back to the US, and had one purchased locally (after
several weeks of fooling around). The long distance calls alone,
used up any potential dollars saved.

I recommend you locate a local distributor and pay the price. You
will be getting the correct version of the modem and the telco
experience from the vendor that is necessary to "plug and play".

If you contact Telebit in the US, they will give you the names of
distributors in your country. Recently we had our Hong Kong office
purchase the T2000, locally in HK. Telebit gave us 2 distributors
in HK and explained some pending regulatory approval items that we
needed to know. The telebits were not yet approved by the
regulating agency for hookup to the HK phone system. What we found
out is that in HK, a pro-business environment, the approval was mostly
a formality, and we should not run into legal problems. So we took the
risk. The people at telebit are on the ball. They also gave us the
distributor for our office in the Netherlands.