Download fine, upload too low

For about a week now, my upload speed has been intermittently too low. Sometimes as high as 30 up, which is fantastic, but mostly it is about 1 or 2 up. Numerous calls and chats to support and two onsite techs later I have all new cabling to the box outside from my modem, upgraded my account, bought new modem and new router at the recommendation of various techs. Some techs have said I must RENT the modem from them (bill keeps going higher and higher in direct proportion to speed going lower and lower it seems).

This is first time this has happened in 17 years with Cox cable. At $100 a month for 17 years I have wasted $20K on watching TV and going on the internet. Imagine if I had put that in my 401K instead.