Standard phone lines cannot process information at 56K. At best, it is found that most people with 56K modems can achieve speeds in the 40K range.

Noisy Lines
Digital lines (which in most cases include all the telephone lines between your local telephone exchange and Maxitec central server) usually don't suffer from noise problems, but the analogue wires between your local Telkom exchange and your home can suffer from noise problems. If you hear buzzing or static when you listen through your phone's headset, you won't be able to achieve optimum modem speed. Caller ID, answering machines, and cordless phones can add even more interference on your line. To minimize the noise, try disconnecting these types of devices one by one and listening again to determine which, if any, are the source of the problem. If this doesn't work, your line noise may be caused by nearby power lines or other environmental or structural factors and you may try contacting your local Telkom office for assistance.

Some other reasons which may give reduced connection speed:
•  Heat of the day,
•  Number of exchanges you connect through,
•  Congestion of the Internet,
•  Congestion of Host servers,