T30 Modem socket interference, connecting at low speeds?

[xbytes]

The problem is my T30's internal modem seems to be very noisy, I'm not talking about when it dials in and negotiates, it is when it is plugged in to the phone socket and you pick up the phone you can hear crackles and the volume of the phone drops, this has just started happening, and this causes the line quality to drop and it connects at 19.2 to 33.6 if I'm lucky, used to connect at 49. to 50! Plugged same wire in to another laptop and connected at original speed nocrackles, so problem is with T30.

Would it be worth opening it up and checking the area around modem socket for shorts?

Any help would be appreciated,
xbytes