• What is V.92?
  V.92 is a new proposed dial-up modem standard that is being worked on by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The proposed standard provides for an increase in upload speeds, quicker connect times and a modem-on-hold feature that allows the modem to work in conjunction with call waiting provided by the phone company.

• What V.92 offers:

  Increased upstream rates - up to 48k by using a PCM stream through an a/d conversion. [Still, only 1 a/d conversion is required: if you have trouble getting 56k rates with V.90, there will be no improvement.]

Quick Connect - The time to establish a connection may be reduced with faster handshaking.

Modem On Hold - Allows modems to stay connected 'on-hold' while you take an incoming call-waiting call, or initiate an outgoing voice call. (Works only if V.92 server modem is configured to allow this feature.)

• More Info on Modem On Hold & V.92:

The amount of time you can place your Internet connection on hold while taking another call will be up to your ISP: the V.92 recommendation will permit ISPs to set their modems to wait for 0 - 16 minutes, or, to wait indefinitely. V.92 client modems may include software that will warn the user when the ISP-determined timeout approaches, as well as to display call-waiting caller-id info (requires telco call-waiting/caller-id service). Note that ISPs have an incentive to limit the use of this feature: when a call is placed on hold, the ISP modem remains unavailable to take other calls. The ISP may need to add more modems to maintain quality of service if this feature is enabled.

• More on V.92 Upstream:

The V.92 specification will allow a PCM upstream at rate from 24,000bps to 48,000bps. The rate will increment in steps of 1.333k as in V.90. So, upstream rates could be 24k, 25.3k, 26.6k, 28k, etc. While the specification allows a 48k rate, it may be as elusive as 56k with V.90.

• More on Quick Connect:

V.92 modems will remember connect rates on past connections by storing data about those connections in a buffer. The modem will compare line quality variables as it dials in to a server modem with those in the buffer, and if a match is found, the handshake starts at the rate previously negotiated. Quick Connect will also be used with Modem On Hold: when a call is switched back to the modem after using the MOH feature, a retrain is required.

• Is there an increase in speed?
  V.92 doesn’t increase the download speed over V.90, but, it does increase the maximum upload speed to 48K bps. This is a 30% increase over the 33.6K bps attainable by today’s V.90 modems. This higher upstream speed offers numerous benefits including a reduction in the upstream data transfer time for large e-mails with attachments and for ftp site uploads, as well as improved operation for interactive applications such as online gaming.
• What is the Quick Connect feature?
  Quick connect dramatically improves how quickly users can connect with their Internet Service Provider (ISP). In some cases quick connect will approximately halve the time required for a dial up modem to make the "handshake" to an ISP on regularly used connections, from approximately 20 seconds with today’s widely deployed V.90 modems, to less than 10 seconds with V.92-equipped modems.
• What is the modem-on-hold feature?
  The modem-on-hold feature allows the modem to work in conjunction with call waiting provided by the phone company. The feature enables a PC user to answer a new phone call for up to 16 minutes (or for how long the Internet Service Provider permits) – without dropping the modem connection. The PC user is then able to resume surfing the Internet after they terminate the voice call.
• What about other future developments like V.44 compression?
  Future developments, which will almost certainly be incorporated in the first generation of V.92 modems, promise better download performance and connection reliability. V.44 is a new data compression standard that will improve the current V.42bis data compression anywhere from 20 to 60 percent, up to as much as 200 percent for certain types of highly compressible data. The compression technique enables data throughput rates of higher than 300K bps – much faster than today’s typical rates of 150 – 200K bps. For users, it means that your Web browsing will be much faster.
• Is there a market for V.92?
  Today, many people still don’t have access to broadband technologies such as DSL or cable modems. According to recent GartnerGroup research, even by 2004, 55% of all people will still be getting to the Internet by way of a dial-up modem. V.92 provides a competitive analog modem solution in the face of digital and cable connections. Faster line negotiation and higher upstream data rates in addition to more effective line usage through call-waiting compatibility offer compelling adoption benefits.