Connect speed is dependent on two items; the compatibility between your modem and ElkNet equipment, and the quality of each individual telephone call placed to ElkNet. Let's discuss modems first:

Modem Compatibility
• Chipsets- The ElkNet equipment is based on the Rockwell chipset, and is completely V.90 compliant. This means that our equipment will work with the widest possible group of modems, as the V.90 standard is an international standard, and also because 75% of the manufactured modems, from various companies, use the Rockwell chipset. For the best possible connect rates, use a modem based on the Rockwell chipset, and make sure that it is V.90 compatible.
  
• Updates- Many modem manufacturers periodically improve their product, and often updates can be downloaded directly from the manufacturers web site. Otherwise try www.56k.com.
  
• Software Modems- There is one other modem issue to consider, and that is the topic of Software Modems. To reduce the price of their computers, some companies are installing a low performance, low cost type of modem in their systems known as a software modem. This type of modem replaces much of the expensive electronic components on the modem with software on your computer, making the computer itself simulate part of the modem. This type of modem is available with both Rockwell chipsets and 3COM/US-Robotics chipsets. These modems are known as RPI, HFC, SoftModem or WINModem. If the box says that Windows is required, it is likely that it is a software modem. If at all possible, stay away from, or replace, this type of modem. You spent a lot of money on your computer for it to be a computer, not a modem. Internet usage on this type of modem is typically very unsatisfactory.

Telephone Lines:
The second item that affects your connect speed, and the much more significant one, is the quality of each telephone call your computer's modem places to ElkNet.

• What's a phone line for?- While you may not hear much of a difference between calls you make to friends and family, there are many quality issues that your modem is affected by that your ear can't hear. The human voice uses a very narrow range of tones, and the human brain can overcome many errors when listening to someone speak. From its origination, the telephone system was invented to speak over, and computer to computer modem usage was never intended.
  
• How about modems?- Remember that the speed rating of any modem you may purchase is its BEST POSSIBLE SPEED, typically under laboratory conditions, not its typical real world speed. Up until the de-regulation of the telephone industry, the telephone company was responsible for designing and supporting computer modems, after this point in history, modem manufacturers pushed their designs to allow more and more speed, taking the telephone network far beyond its intended design. Additionally, 56K V.90 connections are even more demanding on the telephone network: while modems prior to 56K were based upon the sounds that they made over the telephone line, 56K is based on the conversion of these sounds to digital computer codes by the telephone company equipment.
  
• Line Impairments- As a result of line impairments, a customer often is not satisfied with their connect speed, and blame first their Internet Provider i.e. ElkNet, or their telephone company. The Telecommunications Industry Association issued a document (TSB37-A) that details 168 issues that can impair modem connections, yet few of these issues would noticeably affect voice conversations. The screeching sounds that modems make when they first connect are their way of testing these 168 issues to see how clean that particular call is so they know how fast they can connect. These tests have to be made for each call, as these impairments will change not only between each call, but even during a call. When they change during a call typically is what causes you to get disconnected in mid-session.
  
• What about the phone company?- In the state of Wisconsin, the Public Service Commission has recognized these impairment issues when they passed PSC 160.031 Wisconsin Administrative Code, at which time they set the data speed requirement for dial up telephone lines at 9,600 bits/second. If your connect speed is at least 9.6Kbps, then your telephone service is meeting the requirements of the voice grade telephone line you are paying them for. In a nutshell, if you can call whom you want and a voice conversation can be understood, then you are getting what you are paying for.
  
• Telco Equipment- As part of the evolution of the telephone system, many telephone companies have or are in the process of upgrading to digital computer based telephone switches. The older analog telephone systems simply sends the sounds that are made on a telephone, while the newer digital telephone systems convert these sounds into computer codes. This allows them to increase capacity as demand for telephone lines grows.
  
• Conversion- The path that a telephone call takes may make the conversion between the analog sounds that originate from your telephone or modem to the digital format many times before getting to it's destination. 56K modems have an absolute requirement that this conversion only occur ONCE, otherwise they won't work above the old maximum speed of 33.6Kbps.
  
• Pair-Gaining- There is one more issue that affects many customers, and will grow more prevalent over time, and that is the issue of Pair-Gaining. One of the most expensive aspects of the telephone industry is the installation of the wires going between the telephone company and their customers, known as the Physical Plant. Burying cables or installing it on telephone poles is very expensive, so plant engineers attempt to forcast future need to try and avoid having to re-install or expand cable. As new housing or business developments are built, along with increased demand for fax, computer, teen lines etc., this demand can often surpass the capacity that was anticipated. Remember that much of this physical plant was installed before the home office, computer, and Internet growth started. One technology that was developed by the telephone industry to meet this demand is known as Pair-Gaining, and allows the telephone companies to connect multiple telephone lines and numbers over one physical pair of wires, all without affecting the voice quality of these lines. Yet is does affect your modem, typically limiting it to a top connect speed of 26,400 bits/second. And you may have no warning of when it can happen in your area. Your neighbor may order a new line for their children, or for their fax machine, or you yourself may order a new line. To supply these additional lines to you or your neighbor, they might have to use Pair-Gain on the the physical line currently used by your computer. When that physical line used to only be used by your modem, now two telephone numbers go over it, and your best connect speed is impaired. This is completely within the rights of your local telephone company, as long as the individual line to your computer can still support the mandated 9.6Kbps and as long as the voice quality is acceptable, again recall that Voice Conversation is what you are paying for.
  
• Who to blame?- The telephone connection between your modem and ElkNet is NOT part of the ElkNet service, and is completely outside of our control. There is nothing ElkNet can do to improve your connect speed, but there are some tips we can suggest to possibly improve the part of the call between your modem and where your local telephone company connects to your home/business (see Tips ).