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Microcom

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modulation which is half-duplex 9600 bit/s. MNP 6 utilized the compression of MNP 5, and with the fast training capability of the Rockwell V.29 devices. the AX/9624c achieved full-duplex 9600 bit/s at a price lower than its competitors. Like other 9600 bit/s modems, it was required to
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suitable for implementation on very simple microcontrollers. The differences were primarily in how difficult the protocol was to implement, with MNP 1 being extremely simple allowing it to be implemented on many existing modems with no hardware changes, while MNP 4 offered much better throughput at
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In the mid-1980s several companies introduced new modems with various "high-speed" features in order to differentiate themselves from the growing legion of Hayes 1200 bit/s clones that were flooding into the market. Developing such a protocol was not all that easy, and generally required a fairly
297:-based products for portable users. These all had the added benefit of allowing the user the option using the parallel port as a communications port, which offered a faster throughput - this was achieved by using a re-director software developed by Microcom. 216:
Microcom continued developing the MNP standards, and later introduced MNP 5, which compressed the data in the modem before sending it, thereby actually increasing the data rate while still being error-free. MNP 5 was introduced on the
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modem to answer the call to 9600 bit/s, introducing MNP 6. Competing companies also offered 9600 bit/s products, but these were all based on proprietary modulation schemes. Microcom employed a variation of
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standard was ratified. Microcom and Rockwell became partners on a number of ventures, including the creation of the MNP 10 and MNP 10EC protocols, and Microcom increasingly used Rockwell chipsets across their line.
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Microcom took another approach, addressing the feature gap not through higher speeds, but through additional software capabilities. They developed a series of protocols, known collectively as
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for things like carrier detection and speed selection. As other companies increasingly used the MNP protocols, many chose to keep the original commands specified by Microcom, notably
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Microcom introduced a new series of ever-faster modems, typically based on newly introduced standards. The first of these was the 9600 bit/s
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protocols, which were widely used under license by most modem manufacturers in the 1990s. The company went public in 1987.
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In order to control these new features, Microcom introduced a series of new command switches prefixed with the backslash,
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have the same hardware on both ends of the link, however, the modem also supported V.22bis at 2400 bit/s.
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modem. When a Microcom modem was used by both ends of a connection, the connection was entirely error-free.
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to handle the modulation. For companies with limited resources, entering this market was difficult.
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the cost of increased memory needs, which modems typically had little of (40 bytes was common).
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Rosenberg, Ronald (July 19, 1983). "FIRMS LINE UP BEHIND PLAN FOR COMPUTER COMMUNICATION".
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modems, which featured MNP 4 error correction in an otherwise standard 1200 bit/s
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For the "Concentrate. Because it's cheaper" telecommunications hardware company, see
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via a consent decree that resulted in "a cross-licensing agreement for patents."
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Double asterisk (**) denotes product lines established after acquisition by HP
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The company also broadened its line into different price points, offering the
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compression system that easily outperformed MNP 5 led them to introduce the
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in 2002; existing product lines and intellectual property split between
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Microcom also had a range of other products including the award-winning
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vendor during the 1980s, although never as popular as the "big three",
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chipsets would re-standardize the market on the Hayes-based commands.
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Asterisk (*) denotes product lines continued after acquisition by HP
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purchased publicly outstanding shares of the company in 1997.
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Wessel, David (September 6, 1983). "DATA GENERAL'S PROGENY".
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Microcom introduced their own modems starting with the
360:In 1993 Microcom settled a lawsuit against them by 434: 229:for standardization, and became widely available. 163:Microcom was founded in 1980 by James M. Dow from 1229:Defunct computer companies based in Massachusetts 1175: 1234:Defunct computer companies of the United States 344:-prefixed commands, USR an incompatible set of 527: 1254:Technology companies disestablished in 1997 379: 377: 304:remote control and file transfer software, 277:series as their primary desktop modem, the 667: 534: 520: 496:"Spectrum and Microcom settle patent suit" 34: 1219:Computer companies disestablished in 1997 1199:American companies disestablished in 1997 398: 392: 383: 1249:Technology companies established in 1980 1224:Defunct companies based in Massachusetts 374: 1189:1997 disestablishments in Massachusetts 185:, that implemented simple packet-based 158: 1214:Computer companies established in 1980 1194:American companies established in 1980 1176: 462: 320:, a corporate remote access solution. 312:(MBR), a centralised dial pool system 515: 456: 435:Lawrence M. Fisher (April 11, 1997). 1259:Telecommunications equipment vendors 1184:1980 establishments in Massachusetts 355: 261:, followed by the 14,400 bit/s 1239:Defunct computer hardware companies 23:Modem hardware and software company 13: 399:Rosenberg, Ronald (May 26, 1987). 14: 1270: 362:Spectrum Information Technologies 1158: 1157: 1148: 1147: 1136: 1135: 1126: 1125: 484:. February 22, 1988. p. 17. 308:desktop/PC management software, 323: 488: 471: 428: 1: 648:Digital Equipment Corporation 467:. p. 1, Economy Section. 388:. p. 1, Economy Section. 367: 281:which was similar but added 232:Microcom then developed the 181:Microcom Networking Protocol 7: 86:; 27 years ago 56:; 44 years ago 10: 1275: 563:Hewlett Packard Enterprise 541: 253:, but the introduction of 15: 1204:Companies based in Boston 1111: 1080: 1059: 1009: 988: 949: 840: 831: 810: 756: 749: 717: 683: 676: 665: 628: 607: 581: 572: 549: 314:High Density Modem System 109: 98: 80: 72: 50: 42: 33: 735:Professional Workstation 409:. p. 41, Business. 187:file transfer protocols 171:powerful and expensive 310:Microcom Bridge Router 285:capabilities, and the 67:Norwood, Massachusetts 1153:DEC operating systems 504:. November 18, 1993. 159:History and products 1209:Compaq acquisitions 989:Internet appliances 209:or 2400 bit/s 30: 501:The New York Times 442:The New York Times 46:Telecommunications 28: 1171: 1170: 1076: 1075: 984: 983: 827: 826: 663: 662: 356:Patent settlement 119: 118: 1266: 1161: 1160: 1151: 1150: 1139: 1138: 1129: 1128: 1012:and subnotebooks 838: 837: 754: 753: 681: 680: 671: 642:Tandem Computers 620:Michael Capellas 579: 578: 536: 529: 522: 513: 512: 506: 505: 492: 486: 485: 475: 469: 468: 465:The Boston Globe 460: 454: 453: 451: 449: 432: 426: 425: 423: 421: 406:The Boston Globe 396: 390: 389: 386:The Boston Globe 381: 347: 343: 338:AT&T Paragon 335: 331: 145:error-correction 94: 92: 87: 64: 62: 57: 38: 31: 27: 1274: 1273: 1269: 1268: 1267: 1265: 1264: 1263: 1174: 1173: 1172: 1167: 1141:video terminals 1122: 1107: 1072: 1055: 1011: 1005: 980: 945: 833: 823: 806: 745: 713: 672: 659: 624: 603: 574: 568: 555:Hewlett-Packard 545: 540: 510: 509: 494: 493: 489: 477: 476: 472: 461: 457: 447: 445: 433: 429: 419: 417: 397: 393: 382: 375: 370: 358: 345: 341: 333: 329: 326: 173:microcontroller 161: 90: 88: 85: 60: 58: 55: 24: 21: 12: 11: 5: 1272: 1262: 1261: 1256: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1236: 1231: 1226: 1221: 1216: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1169: 1168: 1166: 1165: 1155: 1145: 1144: 1143: 1121: 1120: 1117: 1113: 1112: 1109: 1108: 1106: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1084: 1082: 1078: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1063: 1061: 1057: 1056: 1054: 1053: 1047: 1041: 1036: 1031: 1026: 1021: 1015: 1013: 1007: 1006: 1004: 1003: 998: 992: 990: 986: 985: 982: 981: 979: 978: 977: 976: 970: 959: 953: 951: 947: 946: 944: 943: 937: 931: 926: 921: 920: 919: 914: 909: 904: 902:1st generation 894: 889: 888: 887: 882: 877: 872: 867: 866: 865: 860: 853:1st generation 844: 842: 835: 829: 828: 825: 824: 822: 821: 814: 812: 808: 807: 805: 804: 803: 802: 796: 784: 778: 773: 772: 771: 760: 758: 751: 747: 746: 744: 743: 737: 732: 727: 721: 719: 715: 714: 712: 711: 705: 699: 693: 687: 685: 678: 674: 673: 666: 664: 661: 660: 658: 657: 651: 645: 639: 632: 630: 626: 625: 623: 622: 617: 611: 609: 605: 604: 602: 601: 596: 591: 585: 583: 576: 570: 569: 567: 566: 550: 547: 546: 539: 538: 531: 524: 516: 508: 507: 487: 470: 455: 427: 391: 372: 371: 369: 366: 357: 354: 325: 322: 160: 157: 124:, was a major 122:Microcom, Inc. 117: 116: 111: 107: 106: 100: 96: 95: 82: 78: 77: 74: 70: 69: 52: 48: 47: 44: 40: 39: 29:Microcom, Inc. 22: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1271: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1181: 1179: 1164: 1156: 1154: 1146: 1142: 1134: 1133: 1132: 1124: 1123: 1118: 1115: 1114: 1110: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1085: 1083: 1079: 1068: 1065: 1064: 1062: 1060:Architectures 1058: 1051: 1048: 1045: 1044:iPAQ handheld 1042: 1040: 1037: 1035: 1032: 1030: 1027: 1025: 1022: 1020: 1017: 1016: 1014: 1008: 1002: 999: 997: 996:MSN Companion 994: 993: 991: 987: 974: 971: 969: 966: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 954: 952: 948: 941: 938: 935: 932: 930: 927: 925: 922: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 899: 898: 895: 893: 890: 886: 883: 881: 878: 876: 873: 871: 868: 864: 861: 859: 856: 855: 854: 851: 850: 849: 846: 845: 843: 839: 836: 830: 819: 816: 815: 813: 809: 800: 797: 794: 791: 790: 788: 785: 782: 779: 777: 774: 770: 767: 766: 765: 762: 761: 759: 755: 752: 748: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 728: 726: 723: 722: 720: 716: 709: 706: 703: 700: 697: 694: 692: 689: 688: 686: 682: 679: 675: 670: 655: 652: 649: 646: 643: 640: 637: 634: 633: 631: 627: 621: 618: 616: 613: 612: 610: 606: 600: 597: 595: 592: 590: 587: 586: 584: 580: 577: 571: 564: 560: 556: 552: 551: 548: 544: 537: 532: 530: 525: 523: 518: 517: 514: 503: 502: 497: 491: 483: 482: 474: 466: 459: 444: 443: 438: 431: 416: 412: 408: 407: 402: 395: 387: 380: 378: 373: 365: 363: 353: 351: 339: 321: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 298: 296: 292: 288: 284: 280: 276: 271: 268: 264: 260: 256: 252: 248: 243: 240: 235: 230: 228: 224: 220: 214: 212: 208: 204: 200: 196: 191: 188: 184: 182: 176: 174: 168: 166: 156: 154: 150: 146: 143: 139: 135: 134:U.S. Robotics 131: 127: 123: 115: 112: 108: 105: 101: 97: 83: 79: 75: 71: 68: 53: 49: 45: 41: 37: 32: 26: 19: 1131:DEC hardware 1024:Contura Aero 1001:iPAQ desktop 740:AlphaStation 718:Workstations 691:SystemPro XL 635: 629:Acquisitions 553:Acquired by 499: 490: 479: 473: 464: 458: 446:. Retrieved 440: 430: 418:. Retrieved 404: 394: 385: 361: 359: 327: 324:Command sets 317: 313: 309: 299: 290: 286: 278: 274: 272: 262: 258: 250: 244: 233: 231: 222: 218: 215: 198: 194: 192: 179: 177: 169: 165:Data General 162: 121: 120: 102:Acquired by 76:James M. Dow 43:Company type 25: 917:5000 series 834:and laptops 708:AlphaServer 302:Carbon Copy 287:TravelPorte 279:OfficePorte 149:compression 1178:Categories 1103:Tru64 UNIX 599:Bill Murto 594:Jim Harris 589:Rod Canion 448:August 26, 368:References 318:LANexpress 293:series of 291:TravelCard 263:QX/4232bis 136:(USR) and 1088:AltaVista 1067:DEC Alpha 1010:Handhelds 940:HP Compaq 924:ProSignia 832:Portables 787:HP Compaq 730:ProSignia 725:SystemPro 615:Ben Rosen 608:Directors 573:Corporate 481:InfoWorld 420:April 14, 415:294361777 275:DeskPorte 265:when the 203:Bell 212A 1081:Software 1034:C series 1019:Concerto 962:Presario 950:Consumer 848:Portable 841:Business 818:Presario 811:Consumer 776:ProLinea 757:Business 750:Desktops 696:ProLiant 677:Hardware 636:Microcom 582:Founders 411:ProQuest 350:Rockwell 234:AX/9624c 223:AX/2400c 219:AX/1200c 110:Products 1093:OpenVMS 957:Contura 764:Deskpro 702:NonStop 684:Servers 575:aspects 565:in 2015 559:HP Inc. 306:LANlord 295:PC Card 267:V.32bis 259:QX/4232 255:V.42bis 251:QX/V32c 249:-based 211:V.22bis 199:AX/2400 195:AX/1200 138:Telebit 89: ( 81:Defunct 73:Founder 59: ( 51:Founded 1244:Modems 1050:tc1100 1039:tc1000 929:Armada 656:(1999) 650:(1998) 644:(1997) 638:(1997) 543:Compaq 413:  153:Compaq 114:Modems 104:Compaq 973:R3000 912:Elite 793:Elite 346:& 342:& 334:& 183:(MNP) 130:Hayes 126:modem 18:Micom 1098:TACL 1029:Aero 968:1200 907:Lite 858:Plus 654:Zip2 561:and 450:2020 422:2014 247:V.32 239:V.29 221:and 207:V.22 197:and 167:. 147:and 99:Fate 91:1997 84:1997 61:1980 54:1980 934:Evo 897:LTE 892:SLT 885:486 880:386 875:III 863:286 799:Pro 789:** 781:Evo 769:386 289:or 283:fax 227:ISO 142:MNP 65:in 1180:: 1163:HP 1052:** 975:** 964:* 942:** 870:II 801:** 795:** 498:. 439:. 403:. 376:^ 132:, 1069:* 1046:* 936:* 820:* 783:* 742:* 710:* 704:* 698:* 535:e 528:t 521:v 452:. 424:. 330:\ 205:/ 93:) 63:) 20:.

Index

Micom

Norwood, Massachusetts
Compaq
Modems
modem
Hayes
U.S. Robotics
Telebit
MNP
error-correction
compression
Compaq
Data General
microcontroller
Microcom Networking Protocol
file transfer protocols
Bell 212A
V.22
V.22bis
ISO
V.29
V.32
V.42bis
V.32bis
fax
PC Card
Carbon Copy
LANlord
AT&T Paragon

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