Eicon targets agencies with ISDN modem

Eicon Technology Corp. has introduced a new modem designed specifically for government agencies using high-speed Integrated Services Digital Network connectivity.

The Diva T/A modem, which costs $349, is designed to consolidate on a single ISDN line fax, e-mail, World Wide Web browsing and voice functions, Eicon said.

The functions of the Diva T/A are well-suited for remote workers who access their networks from home or a place in the field that has an ISDN connection, said Alan Batch, director of marketing for Eicon, based in Montreal.

According to Eicon, the government accounts for about 20 percent of the ISDN phone lines in the United States.

Batch said the modem includes a flexible-bandwidth function called "always-on dynamic ISDN," which allows users to receive e-mail, faxes and talk on the phone simultaneously by making use of the ISDN "D" channel to provide a constant connection. E-mails and faxes can flow into the PC even while the user is making voice telephone calls.

The modem also supports the additional ISDN features of call forwarding, conference calling and caller ID, which indicates the caller's number or name in a display field when the telephone rings.

The modem will be sold through systems integrators that hold contracts with military and government agencies, Batch said.