Q: I was recently "downsized" by my company, and am in the process of setting up a home office for freelance work. Since it doesn't look as though broadband is going to reach my home for at least another year, I'm stuck with using a dialup connection. This is just as well, since I'm trying to keep my expenses down, and that's the reason for this question. I understand that some new modems allow you to use a single line for voice and data, so you don't have to pay for a second line. Is this true?
Bob Saslov
Erie, PA

 

A: Given your situation, the Doctor would love to respond with a resounding "yes," but the best you're going to get is a "yes, but." The technology you're talking about is part of the v.92 feature set called Modem-on-Hold (MOH). While it doesn't support simultaneous voice and data, MOH lets you receive incoming voice calls during a data connection. As a freelancer, you'll definitely want callers to be able to get through to you as easily as possible. This feature should be as useful as true voice/data sharing.

 

 For MOH to work, you'll need a v.92 modem, which your computer might have already if it's fairly new. You'll also need call-waiting service from the local phone company. Before buying a new modem or ordering a new service, find out if your ISP supports v.92 features.

 

 Here's how it works: While you're online, the modem listens for the notification tone that you'd hear during a voice call if another call was coming in. When the modem hears that tone, it will notify you either through ringing the phone, or through a software-generated audible signal.

 

 You can then take the voice call, and the modem connection goes on hold for a period of time set by the ISP. If you end the call during that allotted time, the data connection resumes. If the call goes long, the data connection is dropped, but you can continue to talk. The MOH feature works best when your online session is restricted to e-mail and Web browsing. If you're downloading a file, the process may not resume properly when the connection is restored. Note, too, that MOH is more dependent upon your phone-line quality than is a simple data connection. Good luck!