Normes Europeennes De Telecommunication (NETS) 20-25 and their impact on modem manufacturers and users

The modem market in Europe keeps growing. The average user, however, has no means to ascertain whether a model that he intends to buy has a satisfactory performance and would hence fulfil his needs. Standards have been developed in Europe which will allow modem manufacturers to achieve a certification of quality for their products, and which will give to the user confidence that the product has been tested and has been shown to have a reasonable performance. It is the aim of the author to clarify the situation and to make modem manufacturers and users more aware of the existence of these European standards, and of the bearing they may have on modem design, marketing and purchase