Satellite internet is too expensive!

Satellite internet service is too expensive in The United States. There are three primary satellite internet companies in the United States. These three companies are: Hughesnet, Wildblue, and Starband. We ask these companies to lower their monthly service prices for the reasons which are explained below.

When compared to the monthly prices of cable internet and D.S.L., satellite internet's prices are very lop-sided. Cable and D.S.L. companies have much more infrastructure to maintain and expand than satellite companies. Elements of infrastructure that cable and D.S.L. companies have to maintain include: miles of fiber optic cables, phone lines and coaxial cable lines. Satellite companies do not have to maintain this type of infrastructure. Also; like satellite companies, cable and D.S.L. companies have to pay for satellite usage. Additionally, cable and D.S.L. infrastructure is more easily and often damaged than satellite infrastructure. Furthermore; unlike satellite internet providers, D.S.L. and cable internet providers do not restrict the amount of data which can be uploaded or downloaded. Moreover; having lower prices should in theory make satellite internet providers more competitive with D.S.L. and cable. One more reason is: cable and D.S.L. companies offer similar or greater speeds than that of satelllite companies at prices often half as large or smaller per month. The last reason is that cable and D.S.L. companies do not make their customers sign a long-term contract. Satellite does.

The following is a comparison of the prices and speeds of AT&Ts basic D.S.L., Cable Ones basic cable broadband and Cox Cables basic broadband packages versus those of Hughesnet, Wildblue and Starband.

AT&Ts basic D.S.L. service: "Elite" is $25.00 per month.
The download speed is 6.0 MBPS.
The upload speed is 768 KBPS

Cox Communications basic cable broadband service: "Essential" is $30.00 per month.
The dowload speed is 3.0 MBPS.
The upload speed is 384 KBPS

Cable Ones basic broadband service: "Economy" is $26.00 per month.
The download speed is 1.5 MBPS.
The upload speed is 128 KBPS.

Starbands basic broadband service: "Nova 500" is $100 per month.
The download speed is 512 KBPS.
The upload speed is 100 KBPS.

Hughesnets basic broadband service: "Home" is $60.00 per month.
The download speed is 1.0 MBPS.
The upload speed is 128 KBPS.

Wildblues basic broadband service: "Value" is $50.00 per month.
The download speed is 512 KBPS.
The upload speed is 128 KBPS.