WhereIsAtlas · Tech
US Robotics
The modem maker that defined dial-up internet — the brand survives, still selling networking gear today
Active — US Robotics (USR) was the modem company synonymous with dial-up internet in the 1990s, famous for its Sportster modems. After passing through 3Com and other owners, the brand still exists as a maker of modems and networking equipment.
US Robotics was founded in 1976 and became one of the best-known names in computing by the 1990s. Its Sportster modems were a fixture on home desks, and for a generation the familiar handshake of a 56k modem was the sound of getting online.
The company grew quickly and was acquired by networking giant 3Com in 1997. But the market for dial-up modems collapsed as broadband and other ways of connecting spread, and USR was passed on through a series of owners.
Today the U.S. Robotics name still exists, making modems, routers and other networking equipment, mostly for business and specialist customers. It is a far smaller operation than in its 1990s heyday, but the brand that once put the internet in millions of homes lives on.
Quick facts
- Founded
- 1976
- Signature
- Sportster modems
- Glory era
- 1990s dial-up
- Acquired
- By 3Com in 1997
- Now
- Modems and networking gear
- Known for
- Defining dial-up internet
Lineage — where the name went
A modem maker founded in Chicago in 1976 that merged into 3Com in 1997, was spun back out three years later, and then passed through private equity to a final owner that still sells modems under the USR name.
- 1976 — Casey Cowell founded U.S. Robotics (with a group of entrepreneurs in Chicago)
- 1979 — U.S. Robotics created The Courier (the company's first modem)
- 1993 — U.S. Robotics created The Sportster (the retail line that defined dial-up)
- 1995 — U.S. Robotics acquired Palm, Inc. (bought for the Pilot PDA)
- 1997 — U.S. Robotics merged into 3Com (the merger completed in June 1997)
- 2005 — Platinum Equity acquired U.S. Robotics (a private equity purchase reported at between $30 million and $50 million)
- 2013 — UNICOM Global acquired U.S. Robotics (the modem business's current owner)
- 2004 — U.S. Robotics rebranded as USR (the company has traded as USR since 2004)
Entities in this tree: U.S. Robotics (company, 1976); Casey Cowell (person); The Courier (product, 1979); The Sportster (product, 1993); Palm, Inc. (company); 3Com (company); Platinum Equity (company); UNICOM Global (company); USR (brand)
Sources
- USRobotics - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
- About us — U.S. Robotics (2026-09-05)
- U.S. Robotics Inc. — company history — Reference for Business (2026-09-20)