I have done some testing in Internet Explorer.
Play a movie in netflix, IE. Don't maximize the window.
Left Click on image.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D
Read buffering speed from netflix.
At 9:20PM I get 560 kbps.
My friend down the street, with Cox Cable as provider, gets 3000 kbps - that's HD 720p (his TV is only 720p).
I am calling Verizon tommorow...