FAQ

1. How new is this product?
2. How standard is the Socket Modem™ concept?
3. Does "compliant" mean "certified"?
4. Are there two grades, i.e., commercial and industrial?
5. Does one modem operate over the range of 3.5 to 5 volts?
6. What line surge protection is provided?
7. What are the standby and operating currents?
8. Are the boards conformal coated, or can they be?
9. What are typical mounting and connecting methods?
10. Can I use the modem in battery-operated applications?
    

Q: How new is this product?

A: The modem is based on a new family of integrated modem chip sets from Silicon Labs. The Silicon Labs chip set incorporates silicon DAA as the line side device coupled to a DSP backend processor via high voltage isolation capacitors. This design is a third generation design from Silicon Labs.

Q: How standard is the Socket Modem™ concept?

A: The Socket Modem™ concept has been around for several years. Conexent wanted a simple plug-in modem solution for OEMs. This concept allows users to incorporate sophisticated modems into their applications without the design, layout and certifications hassles usually associated with modems.

Q: Does "compliant" mean "certified"?

A: Compliant means that the modem is designed to meet all the specifications, such as the unique ring voltage in Poland. Certified means the device has been tested by a standards organization, met the specifications and been given a formal certificate.
Q: Are there two grades, i.e., commercial and industrial?

A: The modems are available in commercial (0-70C) and industrial (-40 – 85C) temperature ranges.

Q: Does one modem operate over the range of 3.5 to 5 volts?

A: Not specifically. The modem has two power inputs, a 5-volt input and a 3.3-volt input. The 5-volt input is regulated down to 3.3 volts. The 5-volt input will operate the modem down to about 3.6 volts. The 3.3-volt input is specified at 3.3 volts +/- 10%, or 3.0 to 3.6 volts.

A: The modems are available in commercial (0-70C) and industrial (-40 – 85C) temperature ranges.

Q: What line surge protection is provided?

A: The modem is designed to meet EN50082-1 and CTR-21 specifications for transient and line surge protection. The silicon DAA utilized a combination of ferrite line filters, Y class capacitors and transient suppression devices. The user does not need to supply any additional surge protection for virtually all domestic US and international configurations.

Q: What are the standby and operating currents?

A: With 3.3 volt applied to the 3.3-volt input: Operating Mode 26mA Nominal 35 mA Max Sleep Mode (Wake up on Ring)     3mA Nominal Power Down Mode 35uA Nominal 100uA Max

Q: Are the boards conformal coated, or can they be?

A: The modems are not normally supplied with conformal coating. The modems can be conformal coated with a high dielectric coating as an option.

Q: What are typical mounting and connecting methods?

A: The modem is designed to plug into 2mm headers. Separate headers are used for the phone line connection, user connection and power supply connections. Due to the very low mass of the module, no hold-down or retainers are necessary for most applications.

Q: Can I use the modem in battery-operated applications?

A: The modem is an excellent candidate for battery-operated applications where power consumption is critical. The sleep and wake on ring modes are extremely helpful in minimizing power consumption in these applications.