Programmable delay compensation for interfacing transceiver with a micro-controller. The total propagation delay in transmitting a symbol across the transceiver and receiving an echo back from the transceiver is programmed by a user or software. Depending upon the protocol used in interfacing and symbol transmission, the total propagation delay, which is stored in a programmable register, is subtracted from prespecified symbol timings so that when the propagation delay is accounted for, the symbols, when echoed, will in reality, match the timings as prespecified by the protocol, so that successive symbols are timed appropriately.