Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!UMVMA.BITNET!CHARLIE
From: CHARLIE@UMVMA.BITNET (Charlie Turner)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Compucom 9600 Speed Experiences
Message-ID: <9103130804.AA01002@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 12 Mar 91 21:08:21 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 46


Could someone share their experiences using the Compucom SpeedModem or
SpeedModem Champ? This is the $169 internal PC modem that operates at
9600 bps using Compucom's proprietary CSP and DIS technology.

I appreciate Toby Nixon's recent comments about proprietary 9600 speed
techniques versus established standards like CCITT's V.32. My modem
application is operating a PC based BBS. For now I only run one
incomming phone line and for that I bought a name brand V.32 modem.
However also I want to add additional lines to this system, hence my
curiosity about this budget priced 9600 speed modem.

Mine is a university environment, unfortunately one that is chronically
short of funds much of the time. For us buying high speed modems is like
buying clone PCs - we might conceed (for the purpose of this discussion)
that the clone PC or non-standard modem is a lesser product than real
"true blue" hardware, but with a tight budget we sometimes choose to buy
two or three 'clones' instead of just one of the 'industry standard'
item.

Let's assume that modem prices, for some specific product capability
like V.32, will halve every five years. That time frame seems about
right based upon the price I paid for a plain 2400 speed modem back
in '86, ie. the same manufacturer's product then and now. At that rate
it will be over five years before a V.32 modem costs under $200.

The time value of money is another consideration. Assume that a
$600 V.32 modem purchased today will have a ten year useful life.
That gives a $60/year depreciation. At that rate a $169 modem
purchased today could be thrown away after three years and still
break even. However the time value (future value) of the ($600-$169) =
$431 not spent today pulls this break even point in even closer. Over a
ten year time span that $600 of today's money might buy three or four
generations of new hardware at the $169 price point.

If someone sees a flaw in my reasoning please point it out. I'm not
particularly a financial person but this analysis seems common sense
enough to me. Of course we won't literally buy one modem for $169 and
deposit $431 to draw interest.  More likely we would spend all the money
buying the inexpensive modems and hope their useful life was at least as
long as the break even point compaired to buying one expensive V.32
modem. In the mean time we have three modem users enjoying 9600 speed
communications instead of only one.

All this assumes that the Compucom modem in fact works as advertised,
something I intend to find out.