Meng-Shi Lim.  All.  Telecom lines.  You know the drill.

 ML> I was told by the Telstra service person that my home phone line has
 ML> lead cable to the first socket and a split copper extension to the
 ML> next socket. Is the lead line ancient? I can hardly get 26.4k or
 ML> 28.8k connections. How can I get Telstra to change to a better line
 ML> :-)? There is a small Telstra manhole-thing (Can't actually fit a man
 ML> in) at my front doorstep literally. I'm on an AXE exchange.

You could always try damaging it slightly.  The trick is to make it look
like their fault otherwise you'll have to pay for the modification. 
Otherwise, just save up and ask them to change it.

You could always wait for Optus local to start hanging phone lines from
your power lines and change over to them.  They also run an Internet
gateway.

 * AmyBW v2.11 *
... Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

--- AmyBW v2.11