'Up to' claims for Internet connection speeds next to worthless - latimes.com

When it comes to high-speed Internet access, are you getting what you pay for? Venice resident Mike Mlikotin wanted to know what he was really being offered after Verizon Communications Inc. included a pitch for its broadband service in his most recent phone bill. It said that Mlikotin, 75, could lock in a lifetime rate of as low as $19.99 a month for an online speed of up to 1 megabit per second -- not the fastest clip you'll find on the Net, but plenty fast for most people. At that speed, it would take just a few seconds to download the equivalent of a short novel.

"It seemed like a very good deal," Mlikotin told me. "No more rate increases -- ever. I liked the sound of that."
But when Mlikotin called Verizon about the offer, he wanted a little clarification about that "up to 1 megabit per second" rate. "If that's as much as it can be," he asked, "what's the usual speed?"...