I just had to upload a small ad to a magazine ftp site. The file was about 5 megabytes, which is very small for this sort of thing; a photo heavy full page ad could easily run 100 megabytes or more.
On my "fast" cable modem connection, I had to sit and watch it grind away for nearly three minutes because Adelphia, like all the "broadband" DSL and cable providers, cripples upload speeds. My upload speed is only about 20% as fast as my download speed. These artificial constraints limit the ability of businesses to do client videoconferencing, transfer large files to other workers and clients, prevents medical professionals from looking at X-rays from home, and a host of other business functions that are now routine.
Meanwhile, in the February, 2005 issue of Broadband Properties, Marilyn O'Connor, the Verizon Senior VP for Broadband, stated that copper systems are "fine" and that it "serves what the market needs are."
Verizon is sadly out of touch.