ISDN Modems Holding Their Own

ISDN modems are the most popular digital modem technology within enterprises, but analysts at Cahners In-Stat Group expect that over the next two years, the preference for DSL and cable modems will increase. At the same time, the demand for ISDN will remain relatively flat, the analysts say.

“Although there is a large window of opportunity for DSL, ISDN is the most used technology today,” said Emmy Johnson, Senior Analyst for Cahner’s In-Stat Group’s Network Architecture Information Service. “We’re finding that while many network managers prefer DSL or cable over ISDN, ISDN or analog is the one that’s ultimately installed due to availability.”

According to the Cahners report “Telecommuting & Modem Trends – The User’s Perspective,” remote access usage will experience tremendous growth during the next two years as most organizations plan to double the number of employees who remotely access the network. Government leads this growth with a 150 percent increase in the number of employees remotely accessing the network, the report said.

“With almost 90 percent of all organizations having telecommuting programs in place, the opportunity for remote access products looks impressive,” Johnson said.

Telecommuting is a large driver for remote access, but its isn’t the only one. Johnson pointed to business travel and remote branch office connections as other drivers.