56k was achieved by removing one analog-digital conversion. Instead of your my computer (digital)-my modem (analog)-phone network (digital)-your modem (analog)-

56k was achieved by removing one analog-digital conversion. Instead of your my computer (digital)-my modem (analog)-phone network (digital)-your modem (analog)-your computer (digital), it was my modem (analog)-phone network (digital)-digital trunk-your computer. A 56k modem at a bbs would just work at 33.6k