SureWest upgrades to 3 Mbps, slashes prices

SureWest Communications announced today that it has bumped up the speed of its highest level DSL service from 1 Mb/s to 3 Mb/s in the area encompassing Roseville, Citrus Heights, Granite Bay and portions of Antelope and Rocklin, Calif.

To give its users additional incentive, SureWest also is cutting the price on its top-speed package to $42.95 per month for those who sign up for two years of service. The company’s 1 Mbps service current sells for $44.95.

"We want the subscribers to move over to the 3 Meg service," said a SureWest spokesman. "The drive is to get them be a long lasting customer."

While SureWest touts a 25% DSL penetration rate, one of the highest in the country, it is facing increasing competition in its traditional telco service area. In Roseville, where the company is based, Comcast has been offering a 3 Mb/s service for $42.95 for existing cable subscribers.

Beyond matching the downstream speed of its cable competitor, SureWest also is bumping up its upstream speed on its top-level service from 128 Kb/s to 768 Kb/s. Customers who move from the current 1 Mb/s service to 3 Mb/s also will be given a new ComTrends modem. Previously SureWest used Fujitsu CPE for its 1 Mb/s service.