SRD, the problem is the return trip.
traceroute to 68.86.245.241 (68.86.245.241), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
1 206.16.60.46 (206.16.60.46) 0.354 ms 0.284 ms 0.233 ms
2 mdf001c7613r0001-gig-12-2.dal1.attens.net (63.241.193.13) 0.264 ms 0.278 ms 0.249 ms
3 gar26.dlstx.ip.att.net (12.122.254.193) 1.224 ms 1.075 ms 1.043 ms
4 cr2.dlstx.ip.att.net (12.122.138.186) 1.897 ms 1.375 ms 1.357 ms
5 ggr3.dlstx.ip.att.net (12.122.138.17) 1.192 ms 1.149 ms 1.136 ms
6 cr2-pos-0-3-3-3.dallas.savvis.net (208.172.139.225) 1.555 ms 1.308 ms 1.401 ms
7 cr2-tengig-0-7-0-0.losangeles.savvis.net (204.70.196.154) 34.348 ms 34.148 ms 34.188 ms
8 er2-tengig-3-1.lay.savvis.net (204.70.198.10) 33.835 ms 33.781 ms 33.770 ms
9 comcast-net.lay.savvis.net (208.172.41.162) 34.638 ms 34.448 ms 34.704 ms
10 pos-0-14-0-0-cr01.dallas.tx.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.85.142) 35.900 ms 35.769 ms 36.485 ms
11 te-7-2-ar01.dannythomas.tn.malt.comcast.net (68.86.91.206) 45.518 ms 45.504 ms 45.433 ms
12 te-8-1-ur03.jacksonnorth.ms.malt.comcast.net (68.86.240.134) 50.384 ms 50.426 ms 50.687 ms
13 te-9-3-ur02.jacksonnorth.ms.malt.comcast.net (68.86.241.53) 50.562 ms 50.387 ms 50.360 ms
14 te-8-1-ur01.jacksonnorth.ms.malt.comcast.net (68.86.241.9) 50.533 ms 50.423 ms 50.420 ms
15 pos-3-1-ur02.westmonroe.la.malt.comcast.net (68.86.241.34) 53.020 ms 53.021 ms 52.956 ms
16 te-9-1-ur01.monroe.la.malt.comcast.net (68.86.241.202) 53.214 ms * 53.249 ms
See how the packet leaves Dallas, then hits Los Angeles for 3 hops.
Then back to Dallas (hope #10).
Then to Tennessee (hop #11)
Then to Jackson, Mississippi for 3 hops (hop #12, 13, 14)
Then to West Monroe, Louisiana for a hop (15)
Then finally to Monroe, Louisiana.
Those hops in Los Angeles are the killers. That hub is a very busy hub and is prone to dropping packets during prime time hours. It impacts all Comcast customers. Comcast and Savvis will admit it is a problem. Yet, nothing is being done to correct it. Savvis has said they have no intention of fixing it.
The only hope we had was for AT&T to get a peering arrangement with Comcast, but that did not happen.