Still, my own speeds are far slower (consistently 1.3 Mbs) and I never experience hangup/stutter problems. Maybe you've got a system issue such as a resource hog, a virus, etc. Take a look at this; "10 Ways to Increase Your Internet Speed" http://www.blogtyrant.com/increase-internet-download-speed/
And perhaps using the old GT player instead of the new player and/or using low resoution (which I do) instead of high will bring about smoother lesson video play.
"It takes a lot of devotion and work, or maybe I should say play, because if you love it, that's what it amounts to. I haven't found any shortcuts, and I've been looking for a long time."
-- Chet Atkins
-- Chet Atkins