Supra Offers Sysops Super Deal on 28,800 bps Modems

ALBANY, OR, APRIL 1994 -- Bulletin Board sysops can now upgrade BBS modems to
28,800 bps for a price that's less than the cost of many 14,400 bps modems--
prices start at just $149.95.  The SupraFAXModem(tm) 288 offers speed today,
plus a clear upgrade path for tomorrow.

"The sysop community is key to success of new communications technologies,"
says John Wiley, President of Supra Corporation.  "We want as many bulletin
boards as possible to utilize V.Fast Class (V.FC) technology so users can start
saving money by reducing file download time."

Supra offers sysops the choice of either the internal SupraFAXModem(tm) 288i
for Intel-based computers, or the external SupraFAXModem 288 external
configured either for the Macintosh(r) or the PC.

Product                 First Two   Additional  Regular
                        Modems      Modems      Price
SupraFAXModem 288i      $149.95     $179.95     $349.95
SupraFAXModem 288 PC    $169.95     $199.95     $399.95
SupraFAXModem 288 Mac   $169.95     $199.95     $399.95

High-Speed Options for both Today and Tomorrow

Today's V.FC modems are an early implementation of the technology that enables
28,800 bps data communication.  The finalized standard, V.34, is scheduled for
a vote by the ITU-TSS standards committee in June 1994.  If that schedule is
met, Supra will have V.34 upgrades available by September.  Because of
anticipated short supplies, initial upgrade price will be $69 through the end
of November.  December 1, 1994 the price will drop to $49 until expiration of
the upgrade offer on February 28, 1995. 

"The good news for sysops is that all Rockwell-based V.34 modems will maintain
full backward compatibility with the V.FC standard," Wiley said.  "That means
that users who buy V.FC modems today won't necessarily have to upgrade to be
able to continue accessing a BBS at 28,800 bps-even if the board does upgrade
to V.34."

The V.FC upgrade will require a factory replacement of the data pump and new
flash ROM code.  Users will have two options for updating their modems. For a
$15 shipping and handling fee, Supra will update the modem and ship it back to
the customer within 10 working days.  Or, customers may select the Express
Exchange option for $30.  With a credit card guarantee, Supra will ship a
replacement modem to the customer via express service and the customer will
then return the old modem in the package provided by Supra.

BBS Benefits

BBS operators and users will immediately appreciate the new speeds the 28,800
bps standard enables.  File transfer on the BBS-even for large graphics and
multi-media files-becomes a snap.

Sysops will also find that Supra's V.FC modems make ideal FidoNet hubs and
offer economical connections to Internet providers.

However, it is important to note that this new class of high-speed modems will
make some demands on existing systems.  The latest versions of many BBS program
do accommodate 28,800 bps data speeds, but sysops may find that older versions
do not have proper support and need to be upgraded.  Additionally, the rapid
flow of data may require special high speed serial cards and possibly even a
faster host machine.

Full Set of Features

Supra's internal and external modems all offer technology that goes beyond the
basics of V.FC.  By utilizing flash ROM, all of these V.Fast Class products add
a new level of flexibility to modem communications.  Future enhancements can be
made without any hardware adjustments-just download new code information into
the ROM.

Beta tester, Gary Gilmore, sysop of The Bloom County BBS in Dearborn, MI (one
of the FidoNet mail hubs in the Detroit area), writes: "The modem is blindingly
fast...it's been very reliable.  Installation is a piece of cake.  Flash ROM
updates are immediate -- no waiting.  The flash ROM is so easy...it's just that
 - a flash."

Plus, the SupraFAXModem 288i utilizes SupraSmart(tm) UART technology buffering
to reduce the risk of data loss during high speed transmission.  This includes
16550 UART emulation which, combined with V.42bis compression, enables data
speeds of up to 115,200 bps.  When combined with Supra's high-speed Windows
driver, speeds can be increased to over 200,000 bps.

The SupraFAXModem 288 external packs this performance into Supra's
highly-praised tiny desktop modem with a revolutionary alphanumeric status
display which makes it a breeze to track all modem activity. 

All modems support industry-standard protocols including the full range of
Bell, MNP, and ITU-TSS (formerly CCITT) standards.  Among the supported
features are V.42bis for 4:1 data compression and MNP10 for improved
performance on cellular connections. The modems support the highest-available
fax speed of 14,400 bps. They also support Class 1 and 2 fax commands and are
compatible with Group 3 fax machines.

The modems also feature a limited five-year warranty, Hayes compatibility,
extended AT commands and result codes, compatibility with most popular
telecommunications software, autoanswer/autodial, a modular phone jack, and
non-volatile memory that stores two user configurations and four phone numbers.

Contact Information

Sysop orders must be processed through Supra and require completion of the
sysop order form.  The order form, SYSOP.TXT, can be obtained from Supra's BBS
at (503) 967-2444, from Supra's FaxBack system at (503) 967-0072, or from
Supra's customer service department at 1-800-727-8772 or 503-967-2410.