No accelerator
... and I'm on cable now (RoadRunner). The 'volume delays', if that's what they are, could be with the ISP, I suppose. The stray text strings in HZ post and reply windows have been intermittent. I'll let you know if they persist.
There's one advantage to only using Web-based email: since I don't use a local email engine - especially not Outlook - worms like SoBig and its many cousins don't get in, and don't get redistributed.