A contact element and mechanism for use in a connector, the connector comprising a socket adapted for receiving a cable plug comprising a terminal contact. The contact element and mechanism comprise a flexible dielectric substrate and a first conductive strip on a first surface of the substrate. When the plug is inserted into the socket, the terminal contact comes into contact with the conductive strip.There is also provided a compensating connector for interconnection with a cable plug, the plug comprising a plurality of terminal contacts. The connector comprises a socket adapted for receiving the plug, a plurality of contact elements disposed in the socket, each of the contact elements comprising a conductive strip, and a compensation network comprised of a plurality of compensating elements. Each of the compensating elements is located adjacent to one of the contact elements. When the plug is inserted into the socket, each of the terminal contacts comes into contact with a predetermined one of the conductive strips.