-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

No, the Elite models are *NOT* upgradeable to V.34+.  V.34+ isn't an
international ITU-TSS standard.  Currently, it is a modified version of the
V.34 standard.

Most Elite users would probably like to be able to upgrade their Elite to V.34+
via a simple flash ROM upgrade.  Unfortunately, it isn't possible.  

Some Elite users are upset about non-V.34+ upgradeability.  Please keep a couple
of points in mind:

a) ZyXEL never advertised that the Elite was V.34+ upgradeable.  They said that
the Elite was built to take advantage of the new generation of "modem" 
technology.  i.e. The Elite could be upgraded to faster speeds.  ZyXEL meant
upgrading to ISDN, rather than upgrading to V.34+.

[Editor's Note:  Unfortunately, many people (myself included) interpreted the
word "upgradeability" the way we want to interpret the it.  We read what we 
wanted to read and we saw what we wanted to see.  Sad, but true.  ZyXEL never
promised something (V.34+ upgradeabiltiy) and didn't deliver it.]

b) Since, V.34+ is not a true internationally approved standard, it may be
yet another flash-in-the-pan.  ZyXEL did not support V.32turbo, or V.FC.  Both
of these were non ITU-TSS approved standards.  Users screamed at that time.
Both V.32terbo and V.FC protocols support became non-issues as they were
superceded by the ITU-TSS approved V.34 protocol.  Hopefully, V.34+ will die
a quick death.


ZyXEL USA's response:
"ZyXEL Elite Owners

At a time when our competitors were beginning to introduce their V.34
products, ZyXEL was already planning to take our users beyond V.34 into the
unexplored frontiers of ISDN.  ZyXEL has always been on the forefront of
technology - and it is not a title we intend to relinquish anytime soon.

Recent inquiries from Elite modem users have brought to our attention some
concerns regarding the 33.6 Kbps speeds available now with some of our
competitors' products.  We feel it necessary to inform our users that we do
not have plans to upgrade the Elite Series to 33.6Kbps (V.34+). 33.6K speed
relies heavily on the bandwidth of the telephone carrier which might be hard
to find in the real world phone line.

The Elite 2864 has been designed from the onset as a transitional product
from V.34 to ISDN.  We have chosen, in this product, to focus on ISDN because
digital technology is where the modem market is headed.  The Elite 2864 was
designed specifically for users who could potentially take advantage of what
ISDN has to offer, but who needed V.34 speeds now.

We have concentrated our hardware development on offering  better ISDN
capabilities.  As a result we are proud to be able to offer features like
V.42bis Data Compression over ISDN and Channel Bundling -  two features which
ZyXEL was one of the first to introduce.  Additional enhanced features of the
Elite 2864 set ZyXEL apart -  product features like the flexibility provided
by Serial and Parallel ports, the standalone fax feature with direct printing,
DES encryption, Kernel Recovery Mode and larger firmware and DRAM storage space.
We are also planning to support additional popular standards like multi-link
point-to-point(MP) protocol and new Internet communication protocols.
Competition has yet to offer these features in a single device.

As a result of development hurdles, our entry into the V.34 market has taken
longer than expected.  But we are moving full speed ahead to improve product
performance and reliability to make up for the lost time.  We are confident
that the finished Elite 2864 will be a product to meet all your expectations.

Our mission always has been and always will be to take you to the cutting edge
of technology - not to make quick sales on overnight trends which are here
today and gone tomorrow.  As always, we appreciate your continued support of
ZyXEL and your valued feedback.  Should you have any concerns about your Elite
2864 modem or have additional questions, please contact us directly at
800-255-3160.

ZyXEL Customer Service          custsvc@zyxel.com Marketing Department
                  	        Fax: 714-693-8811 ZyXEL				
				Web: www.zyxel.com"


Robert Wong (rwong@direct.ca) writes:
"ZyXEL USA is the main contact point for North and South American ZyXEL
owners.  Should you have any concerns about a ZyXEL product, try contacting
your local dealer and then your local ZyXEL distributor."


Winston Edmond (wbe@psr.com)
"According to posts in this newsgroup, Motorola Power modem owners have
recently been told by Motorola that:
 * V.34+ capable versions of the Power modem will come out in January,
 * current modems can't be upgraded to V.34+ despite flash ROM (hardware too
    slow), and
 * there's no upgrade path for current owners.

Sounds familiar [to ZyXEL Elite owners], somehow, doesn't it?"