"Internet Access Modem" that is "nearly 5,000 %" faster

["W. Curtiss Priest" <BMSLIB@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>]

  There was the most cryptic announcement by Westell (makers
  of ADSL equipment) on 3/25/96 via Reuters.
  
  This modem is "5,000 percent faster than currently available analog
  modems."  Presumably this is an asymmetric modem, it provides
  data rates of "64,000bits per second from customer premises to
  the switching company" and up to "1.5 million bits per second within
  the telephone company network" (presumably T-1).
  
  "Additionally, the product has the ability to separate data streams
  from voice streams within a telephone company switching system,
  eliminating a switching bottleneck encountered using current technologies."
  
  "Westell said pricing of the product would depend on the application
  and configuration."  (very informative :)  )
  
  My understanding is ADSL is to work with existing lines (as ISDN)
  and no repeaters.
  
  While I can understand the claim of 64,000 bps, given this
  is essentially 28.8 x 2 plus a little more (asymmetric), I wonder about
  the claim of being 5 times faster than currently available
  analog modems.
  
  If anyone has further information about this claim or the pricing,
  please let us know.
  
              W. Curtiss Priest, Director, CITS
        Center for Information, Technology & Society
           466 Pleasant St., Melrose, MA  02176
         Voice: 617-662-4044  BMSLIB@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
   Fax: 617-662-6882 WWW: http://www.eff.org/pub/Groups/CITS