$149 for modem, ethernet card AND installation, and no usage charges...
I also notice the improvement when I go to Web sites,
though even with a cable modem there are sometimes delays
that are due to other Internet bottlenecks. I live in
Palo Alto, California, where my cable company, Cable Coop,
offers cable modem service, starting at 500 kilobits per second,
for $99 a month.
Most other cable companies offer faster service for lower prices.
Cox Cable in Orange County, California, for example, charges $44.95
a month with a $149 installation charge, which includes the modem,
the necessary Ethernet card and the service to install the hardware
to configure your machine.
-George