In some instances, a slow connection is caused by outdated infrastructure, so this situation may be affecting you and your neighborhoods.  Try calling your Internet service provider (ISP) to see if there is anything they can do to help.  They may not be able to upgrade the infrastructure, but maybe they could provide you with an upgrade to a higher level of service.  For instance, DSL is faster than connecting to the Net via a dial-up service, and cable Net access is typically faster than DSL. Or if your wireless router is more than three years old, you might be able to connect to the Internet faster if you get a newer router that has better range.