Usagi... I paid way to much for it. Is was around $60 for the ISP Tech, he then got my permission to call out the local comp guru which about another $70. But it satified my questions. I justed wanted to make sure that it really wasn't something wrong with my comp or my connection. I am an artist and historian not a computer expert. Not sure about anyone else but in my area if the ISP Runs remote diag. it is free. If they have to come out they charge you. So I said what the Hell come on out. 
Um i am 6500 yen per month for a fiber optical connection........100m up and down.
Just for information here, and at times my provider goes CRAZY with llabs BS ports, and what it does to the connection. So much i had no choice to move from a DSL 50m up and down to this 100m FO connection. The Provider just had fits with llabs! Now a days I doing pretty good better better be for what i paying per month. I do agree with your on some points.
Cool you paid for people to come out to see it in action, The way LLabs ports the client just is so so badly done, it can`t keep up with the strength of the provider. A mess? Yes pre historic ways LLabs is doing its ports YES.
These days I just live with LLabs 100BC ways they do connections.
