Can't speak for California, here in Cleveland, Ohio it is very fast. I see download speeds in the 1500-2000Mbps range. It is much faster than the SBC Ameritech DSL connection I just cancelled (450-600Mbps typical). The DSL was not slow by any means, but the cable is faster. The Cleveland, Ohio Adelphia cable network is pretty new, it was installed over the summer as a digital cable TV and data system. Being this new, I assume all the hardware is the latest and greatest helping the overall speed of the system.