What is ISDN?
ISDN, or Integrated Services Digital Network, is a service from your
local phone company. An ISDN line is digital telephone service that
allows for a combination voice and data connections over a single high
speed connection. The sound quality your hear from a vinyl LP record
versus a Compact Disc is a good analogy of the comparison of tranmission
qualities between a regular sound based telephone line versus an all digital
ISDN line.
Why is digital better? Actually, nearly all voice communications
are digital after it leaves your telephone company's central office.
The only analog or sound based service is the link between the central
office and you home or office for your standard telephone service.
ISDN replaces this sound based service on the copper wires with digital
service resulting in greater service capacity and significantly higher
quality.
Do I need special cabling for ISDN? No, ISDN service is provided
over the same copper wires that is used for your standard telephone service.
How fast is ISDN compared to my modem? Using a regular telephone
line and standard V.34 modem, the speed of transimission of data at a maximum
will be 28.8 Kbps (28,800 bits per second). With an ISDN line and
the proper equipment and system configuration, your speed or throughput
can go as high as 128 Kbps (128,000 bits per second) - over four times
faster! If you are only using a 14.4 Kbps V.32bis) modem, ISDN is
nearly 10 times faster.
What terms do I have to know to order ISDN? The vast majority
of users should not need to know any ISDN terms to order the service.
In the fall of 1995, the National ISDN Council (NIC) provided two ISDN
Packages which were designed to make ordering ISDN simple and easy for
most single line
applications. Even when these packages cannot be used, the NIUF
Simplification codes can be used with associated with the specific type
of ISDN equipment you will be using. |
