Wal-Mart has announced it will begin selling HughesNet (formerly DirecWay) Satellite Broadband at 2,800 stores across the nation, focusing on rural areas where you just can't get anything else. Now, HughesNet isn't exactly cheap --- or all that fast, with its fastest speed at 1.5Mbps / 200Mbps (dl/ul) priced at $79.99 / month. But if you can't get cable or DSL, it's better than dial-up, and yes, I'd pay for it if necessary.
Of course, the problem with satellite broadband is latency, so gamers will of course be disappointed. But as I keep saying, it's better than dial-up!
In a statement from the press release, Mike Cook, senior vice president, North America Division, Hughes, said:
"Wal-Mart is perhaps the only retail store in the country that reaches as many people as HughesNet. This relationship is a powerful way to make broadband a reality for the millions of Americans and small business owners who cannot get high-speed Internet access from cable or DSL providers. Through Wal-Mart, we are able to offer more Americans the opportunity to experience the convenience and benefits of high-speed Internet in business and every day life."I think when he said "reaches as many people as HughesNet" he should have added the word "potentially." HughesNet currently has around 350,000 subscribers, according to their own numbers.
My big question: will the Wal-Mart yellow orb of savings replace Margaret Easley as the HughesNet spokesperson? That would be terrible (my wife knows she's on my "freebie list."
