Very high ping & UL/DL is Good?(verizon)

[glmccready]

When I do a speed test everything looks OK. Mostly 1450 download and 350 up.. My problem is my ping times to yahoo and verizon are very high. I did a tracert to the very first router in the verizon line, and got high numbers there too. This is very frustrating. Verizon rech support has been nothing short of horrible (and rude). Any ideas??? Going through an SMC7400 awbr, but even with a direct connect to modem I am having problems. Almost wished I'd kept cable internet!
Thanks
Gary
1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.2.1
2 10 ms 831 ms 309 ms 10.31.1.1
3 2108 ms 436 ms 1060 ms at-0-1-0-1710.CORE-RTR1.SAL.verizon-gni.net [130.81.12.37]
4 120 ms 685 ms 502 ms t3-3-3-1-0.BB-RTR1.RES.verizon-gni.net [130.81.12.29]
5 905 ms 607 ms 349 ms so-6-0-0-0.PEER-RTR1.ASH.verizon-gni.net [130.81.10.90]
6 18 ms 1181 ms 1412 ms so-0-2-0-0.e1.Washington1.Level3.net [67.29.172.13]
7 747 ms 3467 ms 487 ms so-2-1-0.bbr1.Washington1.Level3.net [209.244.11.9]
8 51 ms 629 ms 2240 ms so-0-2-0.bbr1.Dallas1.Level3.net [209.247.9.102]
9 4339 ms 114 ms 195 ms so-8-0.core1.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.68.112.166]
10 * 54 ms 286 ms p1-0.verizonol4.bbnplanet.net [4.24.242.94]
11 83 ms 594 ms 1803 ms gigchannel9-0--12-0.core1.dfw-tx.vzlink.com [206.46.128.78]
12 426 ms 2715 ms 690 ms 206.46.189.10

race complete.

[glmccready]

I think it was the DHCP on the MODEM. I didn't know it had DHCP! Connected direct to the Westell 2200, logged on, and made sure "bridgeing" was on and not PPOe. Then I checked other settings, low and behold, DHCP. Well my SMC router does the DHCP in my house. I can not believe the Verizon tech support couldn't figure this out. Thanks to all who read my help message!
Gl now pinging at 50ms instead of 3000ms!!!!!