yeah, and look where that got them. Plus if you add the ECN's, you're no longer talking about .003. The base means nothing, it's the ECN mark up that makes the difference.
Go to any other prop firm, except the group you work for, and you can't get those rates for 10K avg volume a month. I also don't believe that the group you're in, would hire too many 10K a day traders, provide them with all the software and equipment for free, and provide with .003 commission rates.
Caliber, I assume you have been in the business for a while. Don't you feel many new traders just don't know how low the commission rates can go? I feel if a trader is paying $8 per 1000 for DAT that's way too much. Heck the savings of $3 per 1000 shares adds up. $3 x 20 (10 buys and 10 sells per day) = $60 per day That's about a $15,000 per year raise. Not to mention, it could be the extra cushions that helps a newbie succeed instead of the BD getting all the $. Not many firms are willing to help a newbie out like this (such a shame) Now you have a long term revenue stream (Cheap commissions + good trader = lifer).