Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!SPCVXA.BITNET!TERRY
From: TERRY@SPCVXA.BITNET ("Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr")
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: USR Dealer Program STINKS!
Message-ID: <DD5A24526E3F006624@SPCVXA.BITNET>
Date: 12 Feb 90 03:22:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 51

> I called up USR's tech support the other day to ask them the differences
> between the three 9600 baud models they have.  The person I talked to was
> not very patient.  I ended up being more confused than before I called them.
> Hayes is not any friendlier either.  I guess I'll just get a Racl-Vadic,
> or an UDS, or an Avatex, or a MultiTech, or a LightSpeed.  Did somebody
> say that Telebit 2500+ supports v.32, v.42, and v.42bis?

  I sent a private message responding to the original post. I suppose I should
post the relevant points here and then comment on the latest posting.

  USR (and many other companies) have a multi-tiered distribution system.
USR sells to distributors who sell to dealers who sell to end users. Their
sales and tech support offices are set up to talk to the resellers, not the
end user.

  They _should_ be steering you to a reseller in your area who can give you
the level of service you want. Some sell the product with a miniscule mark-
up and provide little or no support. These are good if you already know what
you want and you want to pay the lowest price you can. Other resellers will
come to your business (or home) with manuals, literature sheets, etc. and
work with you to determine the configuration that will best serve your needs.
And, of course, there are those in between the two endpoints.

  I have dealt with several USR resellers and have had no complaints. I have
purchased modems from them either singly or in batches up to several dozen
per order. I've also been able to get pricing within 5% of the qty 100 price
from USR.

  I suspect some of the confusion may result from other modem vendors who
agressively pursue end-user sales directly.

  By the way, the models of high-speed USR modems that I know about are:

  HST - Has had several flavors. It uses a USR-proprietary modulation scheme
which initially had 9600 one way and 450 the other with MNP 3. I believe they
are now up to 14400/600 with MNP 5.

  V.32 - Uses the industry-standard 9600 modulation scheme, MNP 5, etc.

  Dual Standard - Combines the two above models into one which will answer
either type of incoming call, and make outgoing calls in whatever mode you
wish.

  These units come in your choice of stand-alone (tabletop) or rack-mount
(up to 15 units in a rack with 1 or 2 power supplies).

  I hope this helps...

        Terry Kennedy           Operations Manager, Academic Computing
        terry@spcvxa.bitnet     St. Peter's College, US
        terry@spcvxa.spc.edu    (201) 915-9381