Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. A Short History of Analog Modems

2. The Analog Modem Market

3. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

4. xDSL

5. The Modem Market

6. ATM versus IP to the Desktop

7. CAP versus DMT

8. The Future

Self-Test

Glossary

PDF of this tutorial

Look at the past of analog modems to foretell the future of xDSL. Standards were an issue with modems and will be an issue with xDSL products. However, it is not obvious to a technologist who or what technology will win out. Remember that in the VCR arena, Betamax had the better-quality picture, but VHS eventually won out. In any event, only the marketplace, and some time, will answer these questions.