A method is disclosed for generating a PCM code set for encoding data by a PCM encoder in a data transmission system having a digital modem with a PCM encoder, a digital signal transmission path, an analogue signal transmission path with a central office line interface portion, and an analogue modem. The method includes the step of determining a minimum signal level distance between adjacent PCM codes of the PCM code set, the minimum signal level distance enabling discrimination by the analogue modem. Then a line interface attenuation of the central office line interface portion is determined. Finally, the PCM code set on the basis of a power limit computed by adding the line interface attenuation to a central office line interface power limit is generated. The invention further relates to an analogue modem to be operated in such a data transmission system.