Apparatus and method for communicating voice and data between a customer premises and a central office

A modem for communicating across a communication link capable of single-use transmissions and multiple-use transmissions comprising:

• an input/output signal line in communication with the communication link;
• a processor unit adapted for operation in one of at least two states, a full-band transmission state and a band-limited state, the full-band transmission state defined by data transmission in a frequency band including frequencies above and below approximately 4000 Hertz and the band-limited state defined by data transmission in a frequency band including frequencies only above approximately 4000 Hertz, wherein the full-band transmission state occurs when single-use transmissions are occurring across the transmission link, and the band-limited transmission state occurs when multiple-use transmissions are occurring across the communication link.

A method for dynamically communicating data over a communication link using a modem comprising the steps of transmitting data in a full-band transmission state, wherein the full-band transmission state is defined by a frequency band having a lower boundary below 4000 Hertz and an upper boundary above 4000 Hertz;

• sensing a band-limiting condition;
• and
• adjusting the transmission of data from the full-band transmission state to a band-limited transmission state, in response to the sensing step, wherein the band-limited transmission state is defined by a frequency band entirely above 4000 Hertz.

A modem for communicating across at least two channels of a communication link comprising:

• means for defining a first communication channel having a dynamic bandwidth, the first communication channel having a full-band transmission state and a band-limited transmission state, wherein the full-band transmission state is defined by a frequency band that at least partially extends below 4000 Hertz, and the band-limited transmission state is defined by a frequency band that is entirely above 4000 Hertz;
• means for accommodating a second communication channel;
• means for controlling the communication across the first communication channel such that the communication is in the full-band transmission state when no communications are occurring across the second communication channel, and the communication is in the band-limited transmission state when communications are occurring across the second communication channel.

A modem for communicating across at least two channels of a communication link comprising:

• circuitry configured to define a first communication channel having a dynamic bandwidth, the first communication channel having a full-band transmission state defined by a frequency band that extends at least partially below 4000 Hertz, and a band-limited transmission state, defined by a frequency band that exists entirely above 4000 Hertz;
• circuitry configured to accommodate a second communication channel;
• circuitry configured to control the communication across the first communication channel such that the communication is in the full-band transmission state when no communications are occurring across the second communication channel, and the communication is in the band-limited transmission state when communications are occurring across the second communication channel.