Modular high speed connector assembly

An electrical connector, comprising:

• first and second contacts each having a straight body portion defining, and extending along, a linear axis, said body portion having one end formed integral with a contact tail configured to be joined to a circuit board, said body portion having an opposed end formed integral with a curved engagement portion, said curved engagement portions of said first and second contacts facing one another to form a contact pair that is configured to engage a mating connector therebetween;
• an outer shell having a mating end configured to be joined with the mating connector and having a board-engaging end configured to be joined to the circuit board, said outer shell having an open socket area located at said board-engaging end and having an interior cavity opening onto said mating end and onto said open socket area at said board-engaging end;
• and
• first and second contact retention modules having embedded therein said straight body portions of said first and second contacts, respectively, said first and second contact retention modules being loaded through said open socket area into said interior cavity of said outer shell with said curved engagement portions extending beyond said first and second contact retention modules into said cavity, said first and second contact retention modules holding said first and second contacts in a desired relation facing one another to form said contact pair.