30 years is only 1990. I have 1960 copper wire still as bright as the day it was sleeved. Maybe your line was the cheapest wire they had at Radio Shack? Internet quality is about having a good signal-to-noise ratio between the exchange and the DSL router - which is what I assume you have? With that oxide the SNR will degrade a little bit. Just condemn the cable and put in a clean line. Or pony the mains with power-line extenders.