A researcher whose work at IBM gained him an international reputation is founding a new company called Innovative Network Technologies Inc. to use analog technology to develop techniques for high-speed computer communications over phone lines using existing wiring.

Whereas digital technology represents information in discrete "on/off" states (usually pictured as a series of 0s and 1's), analog technology represents it in a continuous spectrum. The designer, whose name is R. Andrew Heller and whose company will be based in Austin, Texas, says the technique will be allow transmission of as much data as a typical 100-megabit Ethernet.

He also says that the company's first product will be aimed at school buildings: "One of the issues for schools is how to get Internet data from the point it connects to the school into the classroom."

(c) New York Times