*very* slow free modem

I just installed the free hsf driver from tarball on a Debian Sarge
3.1 system, kernel 2.6.7-1, i686 architecture.  It works, but the
connection is excruciatingly slow, for example downloads are roughly
200 bytes/s, and 20 pings to a good server results in ping times of
~1000ms with 80% lost packets.

Will these problems disappear if I pay for the full licence, or would
I be wasting my money?  If the licencing process involves internet
connection, I'm not even sure it would work (I'm sending this from
another OS.)


The printing on the modem chipset says:

Conexant
HSFi
CX11252-11
E374391-1
0321 TAIWAN

Thanks!
-levi