You get what you pay for except for BB. Data rates are invariably spec'd as "up to x Megs".
Mine is "spec'd as up to x Megs"... but mine is contractually a 1:1 contention ratio with no "fair usage policy" nonsense so my download speed is solely affected by the distance from the exchange. I also get access to 24x7 in-country callcentre staffed by people who know what they are talking about and who will login to the exchange and diagnose live whilst I'm on the phone (not that I have much of an occasion to call them). Also have a 9 business hour contractual time to restore service for things that require physical intervention and can't be fixed electronically.
So you
do get what you pay for.
You also have to remember that although you may be on a contract like mine, the download speed may also be adversely affected by the remote end (i.e. the website you are visiting, service you are streaming from etc.)