Why Dial-Up Still Exists

Well, 56k is exactly what it says on the tin, 56,000 bits, or between 6,000

and 7,000 text characters per second, and there are still use cases where that is still more

than enough. Some digital signage or vending machines or credit card terminals do still function

perfectly well on dial-up. It can also be used as a backup for older control systems

that are difficult to upgrade, or maybe even as a tertiary connection for critical business

needs. In fact, until 2009, the operators of America's nuclear

power plants were using dial-up for their monitoring systems until the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission asked them to, hey, maybe modernize, which was probably