first thing i would do is check out the clockwork mod faq page and install that, from there you can install roms and not have to worry about modifying your stock one, with most modified roms they come with build prop tweaks, removed bloat and essencially faster and better then stock, also include some cool apps like wifi tethering and some roms offer a overclocked kernal, just browse around the forums im sure you will learn some cool stuff, also you can change which tower you connect to with a prl swap