and unless you are doing something requiring a low latency, it doesn't mean jack for the average usage.
I'm using the cellular connections for personal use since the AD 1991 or so (on the analog ETACS network) for professional use. An I'm connected to the internet exclusively trough cellular connections since '98, so I have way better experience on that matter than the average users, especially American ones who discovered the thing a decade later. The following are tipical values CSD connections over GSM more than 1S GPRS between 0.6S to 1S (depending the timeslots available/enabled and the coding scheme adopted) EDGE 0.4/07mS (depending the timeslots available/enabled and the coding scheme adopted) UMTS between 100 to 150mS HSDPA around 100 mS HSUPA 60/100mS HSPA+ over traditional networks with ATM segments around 60mS HSPA+ on full IP networks around 35 mS LTE 20/30mS LTE advanced 10/20 mS Obviously I'm not talking about pinging a server in New Zealand, @the speed of lights you loose 1mS each 300Km in straight line , so there are physical limits that can't be broken (unless you have a "Warp enabled" router )