I have a 56K modem. Why Why does my 56K Modem Connect At Less Than 56K?
• All of our dial-up numbers are 56k numbers. However, several things can affect your connection speed. First of all, 56K modems don’t ever connect at 56K. The fastest speed one will achieve is 53K. If your modem reports a speed higher than 53K, it is most likely reporting the speed your modem is talking to your computer instead of the speed your modem is talking to our modem. Your distance from the telephone company’s central office or remote terminal is the biggest cause of slower speeds. If you’re more than about 3 miles away, you will not get speeds more 28k. This is simply a limitation of your phone lines. Sometimes certain developments such as Lincoln Hills will have a sort of line-sharing system (for instance, Pair Gain) installed, which is invisible to the consumer but limits Dial-up connection speeds. If your phone line is going through a system like this, you will not get speeds more than 28.8.
