A method and apparatus are provided for communicating data across a
communication link, in a manner that senses and dynamically adapts to the simultaneous transmission of voice information across the
local loop. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for dynamically communicating data over a
local loop using a modem comprising the steps of transmitting data in a full-band transmission state, sensing a band-limiting condition, and adjusting the transmission of data from the full-band transmission state to a bandlimited transmission state, in response to the sensing step. In accordance with the method, data may be transmitted by the modem across the
local loop at the same time that voice information is communicated via telephone across the same local loop. A significant aspect of the present invention is the dynamic allocation of the
data transmission bandwidth, whereby the invention senses a condition indicative of whether voice information is being communicated. If so, then the
system shifts and / or narrows the
data transmission bandwidth to allow for voice communications without interference from or with the
data transmission. However, when no voice information is being communicated, the invention dynamically allocates the data
transmission bandwidth to utilize at least a portion, if not all, of the
frequency band otherwise used for communicating voice information.