StarBand Launched SOHO Service

StarBand has launched its new StarBand 484 Small Office two-way satellite Internet service. The service provides the fastest SOHO (small office/home office) upload speed, up to 256 kbps, for a monthly fee ranging from $139.99 to $159.99, based on the term of the contract, company officials said. Download speeds clock in at up to 1 mbps.

The move is the latest in a series of steps to bring high speed Internet services to those that might otherwise not have access to it through terrestrial means. While the services are rolling out, it is still an unknown whether a company will be able to survive for the long haul in the small business and residential marketplace. At the end of the day, it likely will come down to whether StarBand has the right pricing to attract a sufficient number of subscribers.