bkev said:

Let's be fair here and think about the reasons our internet is so much slower. America's about as first world as it gets in terms of levels of consumption - sure, the economy sucks, but nobody likes to act like it does . Everybody who can has the biggest TV package, the biggest TV, and the newest stereo (whether they use it properly or not.) It's very in line with our society for EVERYONE to have internet. The amount of users probably far outnumbers those in other countries - hence our internet is slower because more people are connected.

At least I always thought it was that way.

No, it has more to do with local monopolies giving ISPs no reason to improve.