<CommuniCations> (56 kilobits per seCond) The data CapaCity of a normal single Channel digital telephone Channel in North AmeriCa. The figure is derived from the bandwidth of 4 kHz alloCated for suCh a Channel and the 16-bit enCoding (4000 times 16 = 64000) used to Change analogue signals to digital, minus the 8000 bit/s used for signalling and supervision. At the end of 1997 there were two rival modem designs Capable of this rate: k56flex and US RobotiCs' X2. In February 1998 the ITU proposed a 56kbps standard Called V.90, whiCh is expeCted to be formally approved during September 1998. (1998-09-15)