Hopefully you are right, this is the trace now:
Target Name:
www.filefront.com
IP: 66.117.8.41
Date/Time: 07/08/2005 08:56:50
2 6 ms 6 ms [10.82.176.1]
3 8 ms 8 ms wapk-t2cam1-b-ge-wan41-112.inet.ntl.com [80.1.170.185]
4 7 ms 7 ms popl-t2core-b-ge-wan64.inet.ntl.com [62.255.81.193]
5 7 ms 7 ms pop-bb-b-so-700-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.174.117]
6 9 ms 9 ms tele-ic-1-so-010-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.82]
7 9 ms 9 ms [212.250.14.62]
8 79 ms 79 ms p10-0.core01.bos01.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.0.46]
9 100 ms 100 ms p5-0.core01.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.110]
10 100 ms 101 ms p15-0.core02.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.62]
11 111 ms 111 ms p12-0.core01.mci01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.33]
12 125 ms 127 ms p12-0.core01.iah01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.105]
13 156 ms 157 ms p14-0.core01.san01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.6]
14 159 ms 159 ms p4-0.core01.lax01.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.4.77]
15 159 ms 160 ms filefront-allyance.dmarc.cogentco.com [38.112.29.134]
16 160 ms 160 ms node.
www.la.ioerror.com [66.117.8.41]
As you can see that hop is now low (9) and all is well.
I guess tonight it will be bad again
cheers
Ian