Articles. Category: ISP

How to Choose an Internet Service Provider

Like a childhood song was saying "like a boat without paddles, like a piano without keys"... so it is a computer without Internet access. And to get Internet access you need an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

These days we're lucky as we have multiple choices: dial-up service (cheap but slow) and broadband service, which can be of different kinds, forms, shapes and... prices, but it is fast.

So, you should start by determining your needs. Do you want to send and receive e-mails (mostly without pictures and/or videos attached) and maybe read online news once in a while? Then a dial-up may do it for you. Like we said on the Dial-Up page, if you stay on the computer under 10 hours/week, Dial-up may be OK for you, or at least to get you started. On most Dial-up plans, you can cancel after few months if not satisfied with the speed and want to upgrade. If you plan to enjoy pictures, videos, play online games, download or exchange music and movies you'll want a broadband connection such DSL, fiber or Cable. If office or home office, consider even T1 (T1 prices start at $289/month these days of late 2009 but can be over $500/month in some areas).

If you decide to go with dial-up, a dial-up modem is needed. They are two kinds: internal and external. No difference in speed. It's up to you which one you prefer. The dial-up providers do not usually suplly a modem, but if you don't have one built-in in your computer, you can buy one from any computer hardware store for approx. $10. Broadband services require a network card (NIC). This comes standard on most computers, usually on-board. If not, or you want a better one, you can buy it from $10 to $100... approximately.

While dial-up is available everywhere where a phone line is (be careful not to incur long distance charges), the DSL and Cable internet may not be available in some rural or suburban areas. Also, if using Dial-up, you may miss calls or your connection will drop in order for you to be able to talk. DSL can support both voice and data simultaneosly.

If you moved to a new place, ask your neighbors what are they using and get feedback.

If you decide to go with a broadband provider, make sure to ask them about ongoing promotions, contract term, early termination fees, package deals. Cable companies would discount the price of your internet if you also buy TV and/or Phone service from them. Phone companies also give you a better price if you have the phone line with them. The major phone companies now can even deliver TV though their fiber optic lines.

If dial-up is too slow or not an option for you and DSL/fiber/Cable is not available, you may want to look into Satellite Broadband. That means you would need an antenna to catch the radio waves but the ISP will provide it to you for a one time fee or a low monthly rent.

Cellphone companies offer data services (broadband) via cellphones or data cards. Most plans cost $60 to $80/month, but for some reason they are not very much listed or considered Internet Service Providers. I am sure this will change in 1 or 2 years, since they are just as ISP as the phone/cable/satellite companies.

Of course, many of you will read article hoping that you will find how to get free internet service. There's no such thing, unless you steal it from someone else, neighbor or ISP, and we don't encourage that. Of course you can still find it sometimes but it will be ad supported, mostly free dial-up accounts, but keep in mind, dial-up it is slow the way it is, without someone pushing you advertisement after advertisement on it.

You can simplify your life by approaching a Broadband broker (like us, www.ChooseISP.com) which will do find all the options for you, explain them to you and help you decide. Don't be scared to do that, as most of the times, the broker gets a referral fee from either one of the ISP, so he can be impartial.

Good luck!


I wrote this article based on my many years of work with Internet Service Providers. I may have missed stuff and I apologize. Feel free to use this article but do not change its form if distributed. Write your own article. Contact the author: SPL

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