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Integrated Services Digital Network.
Long touted as the next generation of high-bandwidth digital
communications services, isdn is still the most widely available
alternative to the plain old telephone system (pots) as a means of
connecting to the internet.
As its name suggests, an isdn
line integrates data and voice calls, so that it is possible to make phone
calls while connected to the internet or other services.
Phone companies typically charge considerably more for isdn
than pots, despite the fact that it is often cheaper for them to
support. It also requires a special piece of equipment, called a terminal
adapter, to connect a pc to isdn, adding more cost to the
package. These factors, and some poor marketing, have held back isdn's
progress in the Uk, although it is popular in the United States
and elsewhere in Europe. New technologies such as adsl are rapidly
superseding isdn. |
