
Earlier this month we noted how ViaSat's new 12 Mbps satellite service, well-hyped at CES, wasn't quite the revolution it was cracked up to be in the press. In addition to not being available to everyone and being offered belatedly to existing customers, the tier makes the one thing users hate about satellite broadband (caps) worse, with Exede's usage limits actually lower than existing services. ViaSat's service costs $50 for 7.5 GB of monthly usage (up & down combined), $80 for 15 GB of usage, and $130 for 25 GB of monthly usage.
One user familiar with negotiations tells Broadband Reports that the member companies in the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative weren't entirely thrilled with the choices being offered users, and are negotiating with ViaSat to add another tier to the mix.
"NRTC members have banded together and gotten ViaSat to offer a fourth package, between the 7.5 and 15GB tiers, for 10GB. Pricing should be around $55 per month, so slightly more money than the old tier for a combined total data transfer allotment that's comparable to the old $50 package's up and down gigabyte total per month." The source insists that the price tag is subject to change, but that 10 GB cap likely shouldn't.
WildBlue customers: Does a 10 GB, $55 tier do anything to impress?
Update: We're told by representatives of the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative that this 10 GB tier will only be available for NRTC member companies and customers. The NRTC did confirm that they negotiated a 10 GB tier to replace the 7.5 GB tier originally included in the lineup.
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