Customer service process for remotely assisting users of telephone and modem systems

A method for a user to obtain assistance from a customer service representative for a user telephone and modem system, comprising the steps of:

• initiating a telephone call using the user system to the customer service representative on a remote customer service telephone and modem system, the telephone call being over a telephone transmission mechanism;
• transmitting data signals from the user system to the customer service system over the telephone transmission mechanism, the data signals containing information relating to the user system;
• speaking with the customer service representative by transmitting and receiving voice signals to and from the customer service system over the telephone transmission mechanism;
• and
• receiving data signals by the user system from the customer service system, the data signals including a command to control a remotely controllable feature of the user system,
• wherein the user system and the customer representative system selectively alternate between data signal transmissions and voice signal transmissions over the telephone transmission mechanism.