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Choosing an Internet Service Provider Essay

Decent Essays

Choosing an Internet Service Provider

As the Internet becomes more popular, both in e-commerce and personal computer use, the need for Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) grows. With so many ISP’s now in operation, the choices for service are vast and the process of finding the right provider for your needs has become much more involved than when the Internet first became accessible to the public.

The first step in choosing an ISP is to know what you need. Will you be using the Internet for business or personal use? What type of work will you be doing on the Internet? Will you be connecting more than one computer (i.e. connecting a network)?
What modem speed do you have? Once you have determined your needs, it will be …show more content…

All of these are important questions to ask about the perspective ISP. An ISP with only two or three telephone lines may not be as reliable a connection as one with five or six. The lesser amount of telephone lines could result in busy signals that are more frequent. Though most cities have local ISP’s, some rural communities face the challenge of finding local dial-up numbers. For these people, this could play a large role in the decision making process. For business travelers, it may be important to note if their ISP is accessible from another city, and if they have an out of area 800 service.

3. Services – What kind of additional services does the ISP provide? For the average user, most basic connections include just the connection, and one email account. In non-commercial sites, it is common to receive web site space on the server with a basic connection. There are many other services offered by some ISP’s that can be considered when choosing a provider.. Here are some of the more common services that can be found:

· Additional email accounts.
· Email forwarding.
· Commercial web space.
· Web site design services.
· Email and web browser software.
· Internet classes.

4. Cost – Does the ISP offer a variety of service plans? What are your billing options? To some, the most important aspect when making the decision to use an ISP. It is important to remember that sometimes a lower cost can result in a lower

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