KR> we seem to be getting the slow transfers again, i tried dick smith
KR> yesterday, and got exactly the same. i thoughtb that the problem had
KR> gone away after i started using &q9 as a parameter as bill suggested,
KR> but it would not apear to have made any difference

&Q9 wont work when you call a Spirit. &Q9 demands V42 and V42bis when
the modem you are calling can support it, if not demands MNP4 but not MNP5

When calling a Spirit you have to insist on MNP4, V42 is whats got the
bug which gives 50% thruput. You want &Q8, to force MNP4, %C0 to turn
the compression off and so not get MNP5.