Choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP): Research your needs

In order to end up with the ISP best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.

Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of ISP are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a service provider.

Research the market: ISP essentials

The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the ISP market. The range of options can seem overwhelming, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:

Connectivity: You have two choices in how you access the internet. These are either through dial up using a dial up modem and telephone line (narrowband) or through a broadband connection that gives you access to high speed connections such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable, satellite and wireless.

Dial-up: Dial-up is often slower than other ways of connecting to the internet, but if you don't use the internet that often, you might find it's your best bet. You want to take several things into consideration regarding dial-up. The main one is to ensure your ISP has local phone numbers which your modem can dial to access the internet or you may find yourself being stuck with large long distance phone bills.

Some dial-up ISPs require their own software to be downloaded on your computer - find out if the ISP you're considering has requisite software and, if so, how you can find it.

If you go the dial-up route, find out whether you have unlimited access or you're limited to a certain number of minutes per month. Again it can get quite costly if you exceed your limit.

One major advantage of dial-up is that it gives you the flexibility of connecting to the internet anywhere there is a phone line. Although you still need to be careful that the number your modem dials is still local. Otherwise you will be paying long distance phone rates.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): Also known as ADSL or XDSL, this option will provide you with a fast, secure internet connection. You'll need a DSL modem, which the DSL provider may supply, either for free or for a fee (ask so you know).

If you often need to talk on the phone and use the internet at the same time, you'll love DSL since it allows you to do both. Additionally, if your computer has wireless capabilities (if not, you can purchase a wireless card), you can purchase a wireless DSL modem that eliminates the need to have your computer near your phone outlet.

When you order DSL, you generally have to wait a few days, if not a few weeks, for your service to start, but then connecting to the internet is as simple as clicking on your browser.

One thing to keep in mind with DSL is that it is linked to a specific telephone number and line, so if you move, the service will also need to be moved by your DSL provider.

Cable: Most cable providers offer their own high-speed internet service. As with DSL, you'll need a special cable modem, which most cable providers will supply. You can generally install the equipment yourself, or if necessary, cable providers can send a technician to your house to install it for you. Ask if there is a charge for the latter option.

Your computer will automatically be connected to the internet when you start it and as the cable is separate to your telephone line your internet access won't disrupt your telephone usage.

Satellite: Many remote locations do not have the infrastructure to support high speed internet access via a terrestrial connection. Either they do not have cable television or are not close enough to an exchange that has DSL access. In this case your only option to access broadband may be via satellite.

The upload speed via satellite is much slower than the download speed and although the download speed is slower than either DSL or cable, it is still considerably better than dial-up. The other main issue with satellite is that it requires a clear line of sight to the satellite and if this is blocked by trees or heavy rain your access can be interrupted.

Wi-fi: If you've ever stayed at a hotel or a motel and connected to the internet for free, you were likely using a wi-fi connection. Wi-fi, which is short for wireless fidelity, has plenty of popular so-called hot spots where computer users can gain access to the internet for free. Such free hot spots often include public libraries and coffee shops.

Some cities are actually offering their residents wi-fi access, either for a nominal monthly fee or for free.

If your computer already has a wi-fi card built into it, you'll simply need to find a hotspot (if you live in a large city, you may find this particularly easy) to which you can connect. You can also create a hotspot in your own home with your modem and a wireless access point router.

The downside to wi-fi, especially free wi-fi, is that it doesn't offer a high level of security or protection.

Download Limit: Most internet plans have a limit of how much you can download per month, usually given in megabytes (Mb) or gigabytes (Gb). If you exceed this limit, the charges for each additional megabyte can be very steep.

Some providers won't charge you for going over your limit but simply slow the speed of your internet connection down. This is commonly called “shaping” and your access speed can be reduced all the way down to the speed of a normal dial-up service.

Download/Upload Speed: The speed of your internet connection will be one of your primary concerns. The download speed is how quickly data arrives at your computer 'down the line' whereas upload speed is how quickly you can send data 'up the line'. If you're downloading videos, movies or large files you will want as fast a download speed as you can get.

When you are reviewing ISP plans you will see speeds written as download/upload. For example you may see 512/128. This means that the download speeds is 512kbps (kilobits per second) and the upload speed is 128kbps.

Installation charges: Does the ISP charge an installation fee for setting up your internet connection? If so, make sure you know the charge plus any taxes or surcharges that apply.

Billing: How does the ISP bill you? Many bill a month in advance, which means your first month's bill will generally be higher.

Contract: Some Internet Service Providers require a contract. For example, you may receive a lower monthly rate if you sign a one-year contract with the company. Make sure you understand all the details of the contract. If you have to cancel before the one-year period ends, for instance, will you be charged a cancellation fee?

Price: ISPs run the gamut from dirt cheap to downright expensive. Make sure you find out if there are any additional taxes or surcharges that are added to the monthly fee.

However, your key cost consideration should be your download limit as this is where most people get trapped and over pay. Carefully determine your likely internet usage and how it may change into the future. With new popular websites where you can download videos and movies, you may find yourself reaching your monthly download limit very quickly.

Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself

Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in an internet service provider. For example, will you use the ISP only for occasional web-surfing and email or are you constantly on the net for business, study or pleasure?

You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.

Have I used an internet service provider before?
	If you have used an ISP, work out what you did or didn't like about the provider or plan. You may be looking for service exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient.

What will I primarily use your internet service for?
	It might be to simply check email and surf daily, for your work, or possibly for your kids' school work.

Do I spend a lot of time online?
	As there are so many plans to choose from you will need to ascertain if you are a heavy user who may download lots of music and movies or just a light user who checks their email and maybe does a bit of surfing occasionally.

Do I want a long-term commitment?
	Some ISP's like to sign you to a 12 or 24 month plan offering better discounts as an incentive. You may prefer a month by month plan or even a “pay as you use” deal.

How important is speed?
	If you are downloading graphics and movies, speed will be important. If you're just using your internet connection for email and occasional surfing you can get away with a slower speed. It may also depend on what services are available in your area.

How much do I expect to download each month?
	If you have a download limit you can be charged a very high over use fee so you should work out what you will use the internet for. If you are just using it for email or general 'surfing' then you may get by with a low download limit. If you expect to download a lot of information, videos or pictures you should consider an 'unlimited' download plan.

Do I have access to broadband in my area?
	If you live remotely and can't get access to cable television, DSL (check with your phone provider) or have a wi-fi service locally, then your only remaining options for internet access are dial-up or satellite.

What is my monthly budget?
	If you spend a lot of time online, or if you download large files (music and video, and some PDF documents) you will need a larger budget than that of a small time user. It's a good idea to look into unlimited packages as you get more for your money. Otherwise the more you download the more it will cost.

Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.

Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of ISPs and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.

Video Links

Test of broadband speed - Demo
A demostration showing how to test the download and upload speed of your internet. (1m 35s)