I used to download every update of Mandrake Linux on a 33.6 modem (2 cd's each time). I probably downloaded that 3 or four time (and Redhat once or twice). I've also downloaded Slackware over modem once.
And I didn't even have a seperate phone line . I wrote a tasktray app to disconnect the computer when I needed to (leave the computer d/l'ing overnight and have it disconnect at like 7:00 AM). Combined with the fact that FTP resumes quite nicely, I was one downloading machine.
Of course before these 14.4k and above things came along I probably downloaded close to a gig (maybe more) on my 2400 bps modem (granted over a very long period of time). Back then I had only an 80mb hard drive so if I wanted to play a shareware game I'd often have to download it, play it, and then delete it when I wanted to play something else (space was tight on that drive). If I wanted to play again I had to redownload. This was all off of BBS's though. Man, those were the days. I thought Zmodem was the coolest thing ever (later HS/Link came out and it was pretty cool too, but never seemed to topple Zmodem). Of course when I finally got a CD-rom drive for that machine and shareware game cd's could be bought at like $10 for 500 games or so I was very happy . . . .