Download a CD in 2.5 seconds
I’m still more than content with the 4.5 Mbit/sec downloads I’m getting with my ISP Free Dégroupage [french], which costs 29.95€/month including over 50 channels of TV [french] and a separate VoIP telephone line with exceptional rates (note that the site advertises 2 MBit, but I’m consistently clocking [french] 4.5). They throw in nice things too, like free, live coverage of all seven courts for the duration of Roland Garros (aka the French Open), channels 81-87. No Ginsu knife, though.
But, news for me, I see there is an Internet2 coming with 2.0 Gbit/sec bandwidth. 500X my little data trickle.
Like the Internet at its inception, it is the province of universities and technology centers. All you need to join the system is academic accreditation and nearly $12,000 a year to pay for an affilate membership.