I already have the highest bandwith for Spectrum and still lag when playing call of duty. Can I get my money back?
If you run the online SpeedTest from Ookla, you'll see several things. You'll see the latency (how long it takes a network packet to travel between points), the average bandwidth speed measured in MegaBits Per Second for both upload and download directions, and the minimum & maximum speeds for upload/download speeds.
When it comes to gaming, the disparity between upload and download speeds is what's most important. Cable modems use Coaxial Cable to deliver the TV/Internet signal. There's a solid wire and a bunch of shielding. Being able to generate duplex (simultaneous 2-way) communications to the modem over a single conductor was a feat in itself. Then with new compression algorithms and hardware, they've greatly exceeded the 10Mbps theoretical speed of what was "thin net" bandwidth speeds.
For the longest time, the download speeds were ever-increasing, but the upload speed was constrained at 10Mbps. Not too long ago, the upload speed doubled to 20Mbps. Depending on the service provider and the modem you use, compression can get up to 1GB download speeds, but here on Oahu, 300Mbps is Spectrum's max. Those download speeds are possible because of compression and decompression of the data as it's transmitted from the local RoadRunner routers to the home.
Speeds are limited to the fastest link in a path to/from the client/server. So, if you're connecting to a server in New York, and the path to Hawaii is being routed through a slower than 300Mbps segment, you won't be able to get full speed between that server and your PC. Tests to the local RoadRunner router will show 300Mbps+, but that's just the closest segment to your home. You can select test servers on Ookla in the area you are seeing sluggishness from to see whether the problem is the server or the wide area network.
There are other factors affecting speed. One is the pattern of Internet use of your neighbors. Bandwidth is redirected on routers as demand increases and decreases. If demand of your neighborhood increases suddenly at 6PM, you will see sluggish response times until (if) the routers compensate for the load.
Back to gaming. When you shoot a player, there is a 2-part packet exchange: you send a kill packet, and he receives that kill packet. If your download speeds are way faster than your upload speeds, as is the case with all cable modems, you'll be DOWNLOADING his kill packets long before he ever receives your uploaded kill packets. The solution for a laggy connection is a balanced connection. Many gamers like DSL better and pay for the extra speeds to be balanced, making the game fairer. Some players who like to win at all cost will use an unbalanced line so they have faster uploads than downloads, basically the reverse of a cable connection, slowing down the virtual bullets for incoming attacks and speeding up outgoing.
Bottom line:
cable internet is "laggy" for gamers at all speed levels. I've seen many gamers create "Cable Modem Only" rooms to make the game fair. Otherwise a DSL player just wipes the floor with everyone else.