Editing USRobotics

{{Short description|Business enterprise}}
{{distinguish|U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = U.S. Robotics Corporation
| logo             = USRobotics-Logo.svg
| type             = [[Division (business)|Division]]
| genre            = 
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|1976}}
| founder          = 
| location         = [[Schaumburg, Illinois]], U.S.
| origins          = 
| key_people       = 
| area_served      = 
| industry         = [[Computer industry|Computer]]
| products         = [[Modem]]s, [[Computer networking|Wired and Wireless Networking]], [[VoIP]]
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = [[UNICOM Global]]
| subsid           = 
| owner            = 
| homepage         = {{URL|www.usr.com}}
| footnotes        = 
}}
'''U.S. Robotics Corporation''', often called '''USR''', is a company that produces '''USRobotics''' computer [[modem]]s and related products. Its initial marketing was aimed at [[bulletin board system]]s, where its high-speed '''HST''' protocol made [[FidoNet]] transfers much faster. During the 1990s it became a major consumer brand with its '''Sportster''' line. The company had a reputation for high quality and support for the latest communications standards as they emerged, notably in its '''V.Everything''' line, released in 1996.

With the reduced usage of [[voiceband]] modems in North America in the early 21st century, USR began branching out into new markets. The company purchased [[Palm, Inc.]] for its [[Pilot 1000|Pilot]] [[personal digital assistant|PDA]], but was itself purchased by [[3Com]] soon after. 3Com spun off USR again in 2000, keeping Palm and returning USR to the now much smaller modem market. After 2004 the company is formally known as USR. USR is now a division of UNICOM Global, and is one of the few providers left in the modem market today. The division employs about 125 people worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usr.com/press/pr-backgrounder.asp|title=USR :: Backgrounder|website=www.usr.com|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref>

== History ==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2008}}
USR was founded in 1976 in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] (and later moved to [[Skokie, Illinois]]), by a group of entrepreneurs, including Casey Cowell, who served as CEO for most of the company's history, and [[Paul Collard]] who designed modems into the mid-1980s. The company name is a reference to the fictional company [[U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men]] which featured prominently in the works of [[Isaac Asimov]]. The company has stated it was named as an homage to Asimov because in his science fiction works U.S. Robots eventually became "the greatest company in the known galaxy",<ref>{{cite web|title=About USR|url=http://www.usr.com/about/|website=USR|access-date=14 September 2017|language=en}}</ref> and USR appeared in ''[[I, Robot (film)|I, Robot]]'' (2004) as the fictional company itself.<ref name="hachman2004-06-30">{{Cite web |title=Update: Management Team Buys Back U.S. Robotics - ExtremeTech |url=https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/56618-update-management-team-buys-back-us-robotics |last=Hachman |first=Mark |date=2004-06-30 |website=ExtremeTech |access-date=2020-05-02}}</ref>

In its early years (circa 1980), USR was a reseller of computers, terminals and modems.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Computers-Terminals-Modems! |journal=Byte Magazine |date=November 1980 |issue=November 1980 |url=https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1980-11-rescan/page/n102/mode/1up}}</ref> At the time, commonly available modems ran at 300&nbsp;bit/s, but 1200&nbsp;bit/s using the mutually incompatible [[Bell 212A]] and [[List of ITU-T V-series recommendations#Interfaces and voiceband modems|V.22]] standards were available at much higher price points. Even in 1983, 300&nbsp;bit/s remained the most common speed.<ref>Frank J. Derfler Jr., [https://books.google.com/books?id=vy3cBZkjbZgC&pg=RA3-PA224 "Selecting the right modem"], ''PC Magazine'', pp. 224-233, January 1983.</ref> In 1984, the [[V.22bis]] standard provided 2400&nbsp;bit/s service, but these remained high-cost devices.

[[Image:USRobotics Courier 2400 Modem with serial cable.jpg|thumb|right|USRobotics Courier 2400 Modem with serial cable attached (mid-late 1980s)]]
USR sold its first modem, the '''Courier''', to corporate customers starting in 1979. In 1984, the breakup of [[AT&T]] greatly lowered the cost of the testing needed for connection to the telephone network, which led to lower prices and wider use of modems. They began offering the Courier to the public in 1984.<ref name=miss>{{cite magazine |url=https://medium.com/people-gadgets/the-gadget-we-miss-the-us-robotics-courier-modem-3d43eac5f1de |first=Richard |last=Baguley |date=5 September 2013 |magazine=Medium |title=The Gadget We Miss: The US Robotics Courier Modem}}</ref>

In 1986, USR introduced their '''Courier HST''', short for "High Speed Technology". Using [[Trellis modulation|trellis encoding]], HST provided 9,600&nbsp;bit/s speeds, leapfrogging the standards efforts and offering four times the performance for about twice the price of a 2400&nbsp;bit/s model. In 1989 HST was expanded to 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s, 16.8&nbsp;kbit/s in 1992,<ref name=miss/> and finally to 21 kbit/s and 24&nbsp;kbit/s.

USR was not the only company making modems with proprietary protocols; [[Telebit]]'s TrailBlazer series of 1985 offered speeds up to 19.2&nbsp;kbit/s, and [[Hayes Microcomputer Products|Hayes]] also introduced the 9600 bit/s Express 96 (or "Ping-Pong") system. However, USR became the most successful of the three, due to a marketing scheme that offered large discounts to [[Bulletin board system|BBS]] [[sysop]]s. It was a favourite in this market not only for its performance, but its superb stability, with sysops suggesting new sysops "Just get the Courier, you will NOT be disappointed, it is excellent."<ref name=miss/>

[[Image:fax modem antigo.jpg|thumb|left|200px|U.S. Robotics Sportster 14,400 Fax Modem (1994)]]

The proprietary nature of HST allowed USR to maintain its market predominance even when off-brand [[List of ITU-T V-series recommendations#Interfaces and voiceband modems|V.32]]-based modems began selling for less than equivalent HST modems. As the price differential decreased, however, V.32-based modems eventually became a cost-effective alternative to HST. USR countered by creating ever-faster HST protocols, starting with a 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s mode, and by producing "Dual Standard" modems that were able to communicate with both HST and V.32 modems at high speeds. In spite of many modems with similar performance on the market at even lower price points, the Courier's retained their legendary reputation for quality and reliability, "Once you have used a Courier, nothing else is a modem in your book at any price. They are the very best there is."<ref name=miss/>

To compete with the ever growing market for low cost consumer models, USR introduced their '''Sportster''' line. These supported only V.32 and later standards, they retained their own higher-speed HST standard only for the Couriers. During this time, Couriers were available in V.32, HST, or the more popular '''Courier Dual Standard''' models which supported both. The Sportster used the same motherboard as the Couriers, and on certain 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s models a sequence of AT commands could be issued to enable the faster 16.8&nbsp;kbit/s HST mode.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.dcom.telecom.tech/browse_frm/thread/4b07122a94a43b50 |title=Google Groups |website=groups.google.com |access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref> The Courier modems remained a favorite in the BBS and emerging [[Internet service provider]] world, where they were known to run without problems for extended periods of time (although the initial large-scale deployment of Courier modems in the [[CompuServe]] network uncovered a serious bug, which would cause the modems to crash and stop answering calls under high call volumes).

[[Image:USR Sportster 56k 117102 ISA (front side) (public domain).jpeg|thumb|USR Sportster 56k 117102 ISA modem supporting X2 and V.90]]

A similar situation emerged a few years later when the 56&nbsp;kbit/s [[ITU-T V.90|V.90]] standard was first being proposed. USR developed its own 56k standard known as [[X2 (Chipset)|X2]], while a consortium of other companies introduced its own [[K56flex]]. In contrast to the success of HST, neither X2 nor K56flex saw any real market uptake, as it was clear they would soon be followed by V.90 modems. After the introduction of V.90, USR abandoned support for X2. In a further effort to reduce the retail price of its modems, USR also marketed a [[Winmodem]] that used software running on the host computer to perform some of the modem functions.<ref name=miss/>

Some models of Courier modems were known for their long-term upgradeability, because they used an upgradeable [[digital signal processor|DSP]] design. For example, when the Courier V.Everything modem was first released in 1994 under the product label "Courier V.34 Ready".,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ljgEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22V.34%20Ready%22&pg=PA75|title=Info World: USRobotics Courier V.34 Ready Fax Modem with V.FC and V.32bis|website=books.google.com|date=11 July 1994|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref> it shipped with only [[V.FC]] support, because [[ITU-T V.34|V.34]] had not been released. A free V.34 firmware upgrade<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKaekAHjQ1EC&q=Courier%20V.34%20Ready&pg=PA40|title=PC Magazine: The First V.34 Modems|website=books.google.com|date=13 Sep 1994|access-date=16 Nov 2017}}</ref> was made available later via [[FidoNet]], as well as the Internet. USR then surprised many early Courier V.Everything modem owners with a limited-time free offer of an X2 [[firmware upgrade]], which added 56K speed capability. Finally, USR released a V.90 upgrade that was compatible with X2-upgraded Courier V.Everything modems. Even the 1994 hardware released pre-V.34 was fully V.90-upgradeable without hardware modification.

There was a licensing key needed for some Courier V.Everything V.90 flash upgrades. The firmware could be loaded onto the modem, but it would work in "degraded" V.34 mode. After paying a fee, and having the modem dial USR, a license key was installed that enabled the V.90 functions.

==Commoditization==
[[Image:Wireless PC Card.jpg|thumb|200px|U.S. Robotics 22Mbit/s Wireless PC Card (2002)]]
USR acquired [[Palm, Inc.]] in 1995 and subsequently merged with [[3Com Corporation]] in June 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/Investors-bless-3Com-USR-merger/2100-1001_3-200418.html|title=Investors bless 3Com-USR merger|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref> It was then recreated as a spin-off of 3Com in June 2000, assuming 3Com's entire client modem business except for the Palm-related portion, which itself had been spun off with Palm three months earlier. Other portions of the original USR remained part of 3Com as the [[CommWorks Corporation]]. USR then quickly built up its device portfolio, including not only traditional dial-up modems, but also wired- and wireless-networking components.

USR was acquired by [[private equity]] firm [[Platinum Equity]] for an undisclosed amount of cash in 2005, believed to be between US$30 million and US$50 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/45484.html?welcome=1218602835|title=Buyout Firm Scoops Up Modem Maker U.S. Robotics|date=15 August 2005 |access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref>

By 2010 the company was focused only on the traditional modem business.

In 2013, USR was acquired by [[UNICOM Global]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.usr.com/press/pr-press-release.asp?prid=693|title=UNICOM Systems acquires U.S. Robotics from Platinum Equity|website=support.usr.com|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[IBM Mwave]] – Combined modem and sound [[digital signal processor]] (DSP) card allowing soft upgrades within its hardware limitations.

== References ==
[[File:Modem US Robotics Courier Dual Standard.jpg|thumb|upright|Courier Dual Standard V34 Fax with V32 bis]]
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|U.S. Robotics}}
* [http://www.usr.com/ Official website] of U.S. Robotics Corporation
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020238/http://www.usr.com/download/brochures/press-backgrounder.pdf Corporate press kit that discusses origin of company name (pdf)]
{{Finance links
| name = U.S. Robotics Corporation
| google = 9605236
| yahoo = 101/101968
| hoovers = US_Robotics_Corporation.12b5e6ee5bee0096
}}

[[Category:Computer companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Companies based in Cook County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Schaumburg, Illinois]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1976]]
[[Category:Privately held companies based in Illinois]]
[[Category:Telecommunications equipment vendors]]
[[Category:Private equity portfolio companies]]
[[Category:Networking companies of the United States]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:2013 mergers and acquisitions]]