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| Finding An Internet Service Provider |
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What You Need January 2000 • Vol.6 Issue 1 |
Finding An Internet Service Provider What To Know Before Signing Up | ||
 Even if your computer, its software, and all the sales receipts bear the logos of corporate leviathans, you still have a chance to spread out your computing dollars. Thousands of small- and medium-sized companies offer Internet access services that compare with big names, such as America Online, EarthLink, and Prodigy, but on a smaller, more personable scale and often for less money. That big feeling you get from supporting the little guys, though, won't last long if you're stuck with slow Internet access, sketchy customer support, or worst of all, a company that disappears overnight. Before you reel off that credit card number, know what to expect and look for in an Internet service provider (ISP). ISPs do just what their name implies: they provide access to the Internet, including the World Wide Web and e-mail, from any computer with access to a dial tone and a modem, or modulator/demodulator (a piece of hardware that lets a computer send and receive information over a telephone line). Your Internet account may also include free Web browsing and e-mail software, technical support, and a small space on the ISP's server where you can store personal Web pages. These days, ISPs aren't terribly different from online services, such as America Online. The main distinction is that with an ISP, you don't have access to special members-only sections, but you don't pay for those areas, either. You get Internet access, plain and simple. Whatever company you select, you'll need to pick a username, which is the name you use to connect to the service; it will probably also be the first part of your new e-mail address. With a smaller ISP, you're more likely to find that the username you want is still available. For instance, there can be only one Jdoe@aol.com, so with a large ISP you may be disappointed to find that there's already a Jdoe1, Jdoe2, and so forth. After you sign up, the ISP should help you set up your computer to connect to the Internet or go online, as it's called. Your modem will call the ISP at a local phone number. Once the modem and ISP establish a connection, your computer sends your username and password, which you chose or had assigned when you signed up, and the ISP confirms that you are a paying subscriber. Then you're free to roam the Internet as you please.  Finding Providers. There are literally thousands of ISPs in all shapes and sizes, ranging from small ones that provide service to only one city to statewide or regional companies to national ones that may even let you access the Internet in other countries. Some ISPs focus on pared-down, basic services, while others offer extensive services for businesses. Some are geared toward home users who access the Internet with a modem, while others offer faster, pricier connections for more technically advanced users. In the next section, we'll go into detail about choosing an ISP, but first you need to know what's available in your area. National companies tend to advertise in national magazines, so if you want to go with a local or regional ISP, look to local media outlets. The classifieds section of your daily newspaper or free area publications can be a great place to find deals on Internet service, especially if you live in a densely populated area. You can also check the yellow pages of your phone book. With new ISPs appearing all the time, this listing may not be complete, but at least you'll know which ISPs were in business the last time the book was put together. The best place to research ISPs, though, is on the Internet itself. If you can access the Web at work, a friend's house, the local library, or even on a pay-by-the-hour basis at a local cybercafe or computing center, it's well worth your time. A terrific place to start is at The List (http://thelist.internet.com), which bills itself as "the definitive ISP buyer's guide." At last check, this site from Internet.com had a database of 7,900 ISPs, searchable by country or area code. Results are returned in a mighty table; printing the providers in the "617" Boston area code, for instance, would have taken 12 pages. At a glance, you can see the name of each company and the type of Internet connection available (more on that later). You can link to company profiles that include lists of area codes served, pricing, and other details. If you're interested, you can link to the company's Web site. The number of area codes a company serves should give you an idea of its size. Like anything else, the smaller the company, the more likely you are to get personal attention. Many consumers also get warm fuzzies from supporting local businesses or small ones that are up-and-coming. Unknown companies can be a risk, though, which makes the matter of picking an ISP all the more daunting. Another useful site is Online Connection (http://www.barkers.org/online/index.html), which profiles the larger, national ISPs. You can read about the features, pricing, and additional services at MindSpring, AT&T WorldNet, Concentric, IBM Internet, Cable & Wireless, and Earthlink. Narrowing Down. Making a wise decision about an ISP can save you a major hassle in the long run because changing ISPs means getting a new e-mail address and reconfiguring your Internet connection. Pay attention to the area served by the provider, the kinds of connections available, pricing and packages, customer support, and—the trickiest of all—overall reliability and quality. Here are some considerations:
If you have a desktop computer and a fairly stable life, you probably don't need to worry too much about location, as long as an ISP has a local dial-up in your area. However, if you travel a lot or plan to relocate, you may want to look for an ISP with a broad range. In fact, if you drag a portable computer through lots of airports, your best bet may be a large ISP with POPs practically everywhere. If your traveling and moving are limited to a certain part of the country, look for regional service. Smaller companies are finding ways around these predicaments, though. Some offer toll-free phone numbers you can call. Then you pay an hourly fee to be online; of course, this is on top of your monthly fee or hourly allowance, which is usually cheaper than paying for long distance. Pricing and packages. In exchange for Internet service, you'll pay a monthly fee based either on unlimited or hourly usage of the Internet. With an unlimited plan, for usually $10 to $25 a month, you can spend as much time as you'd like online. An hourly package has a lower monthly fee, but if you use all your allotted time, you'll rack up additional charges as each online hour passes. With either plan, you may also be charged a one-time setup fee of perhaps $20 or $25.
Obviously, price matters. But what looks like the cheapest offer may not be the best option once you add on any extra services, or if you decide to upgrade your service later on. If you've never had Internet service, and you're not sure exactly what you're getting yourself into, keep your options flexible. Make sure that a variety of plans are available and that it's easy to move from one plan to another. Hourly plans, for instance, can be a good deal if you're not online for more than a few hours a month, but what if you change your habits? Another consideration involves how many people will use the account and whether they want to share an e-mail address. Internet service usually comes with one e-mail address, but some plans, geared toward families, include several. Cheap service may not be such a great deal if you have to pay for an extra e-mail account. Find out, too, if the plan you're considering includes space on the ISP's Web server. If you want to post personal Web pages, make sure that's an option. Finally, ask about the setup fee. If you're changing ISPs, you may be able to negotiate a deal or even get the setup fee waived, depending on how eager the ISP is for your business. Also, it never hurts to ask if you can get a free trial. Some ISPs offer that option in hope that you won't bother switching services at the end of the month. Types of connections. Make sure, too, that the connection can keep up with your modem speed. With a standard Internet access plan, most ISPs can support modems of up to 56 kilobits per second (Kbps), the fastest modem that the average home user is likely to have. If you're lucky enough to have broadband technology, such as a cable modem or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), your options for choosing an ISP may be a little more limited and will definitely cost more. Even if you don't have one of the more technically advanced and comparatively lightning-fast links to the Internet, you may want to see if an ISP offers them. That way, if you're happy with the company, it will be easy to upgrade later on. Customer support. In case you hit a snag, most Internet access plans include free technical support. Some ISPs tout online support, such as a Web site for troubleshooting or an e-mail address to send questions. Really, though, the telephone is your crucial link to an ISP; when you're having problems, you probably can't get online. Find out whether the number you'll call is a local call, and whether technical support is available for convenient hours. Look for an ISP that has good customer support, meaning competent representatives who listen to your problems and walk you through solutions. You might try calling the ISP a few times to see how long you wait on hold. Ask a few questions about its services and see how representatives respond. Do they seem to know what they're talking about? Are they in a hurry? Are they knowledgeable or just rude? Overall quality. Now we're getting into the fuzziest aspect of choosing an ISP: the overall quality of the service. Common complaints about ISPs usually involve busy signals that occur when too many people are already online. Other times, servers may be down, making it impossible for subscribers to use the Internet. Or perhaps the problem is just that connections tend to be slow because the ISP doesn't have the technology to serve its customer base. Maybe you won't mind infrequent glitches if it means you save some cash. But if you rely on Internet service, make sure the company is reliable. At the very least, find out how long the ISP has been in business. Be wary of a new company that wants you to pay for several months up front; it may disappear as quickly as it sprouted. In the end, the best people to speak for or against an ISP are current customers. Surely you know people who are online. Find out which ISPs they use and whether they're happy with the services. If you're lucky, a trusted friend might be able to point you straight toward an ISP that's just right for you. by Sarah D. Scalet
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