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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
     We consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement
of General DataComm Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries on Form S-3 (No.        )
of our reports dated October 21, 1993, except as to the information presented in
Notes 2 and 5 of the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements", for which the
dates are November 24, 1993, and November 30, 1993, respectively, on our audits
of the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules of
General DataComm Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries as of September 30, 1993 and
1992 and for the years ended September 30, 1993, 1992 and 1991, which reports
are incorporated by reference or included in the 1993 Annual Report on Form
10-K. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts".
 
                                          COOPERS & LYBRAND
 
Stamford, Connecticut
October 28, 1994