An advanced modular plug connector assembly incorporating a substrate disposed in the rear portion of the connector housing, the substrate adapted to receive one or more electronic components such as choke coils, transformers, or other signal conditioning elements or magnetics. In one embodiment, the connector assembly comprises a single port pair with a single substrate disposed in the rear portion of the housing. In another embodiment, the assembly comprises a multi-port "row-and-column" housing with multiple substrates (one per port) received within the rear of the housing, each substrate having signal conditioning electronics which condition the input signal received from the corresponding modular plug before egress from the connector assembly. In yet another embodiment, the connector assembly comprises an indicator assembly having a plurality of optically transmissive conduits, the assembly being disposed largely outside the external noise shield of the connector and removable therefrom. Methods for manufacturing the aforementioned embodiments are also disclosed.