Choosing an internet service provider

We all know that the internet is the best invention since waterproof mascara. But even the most technically minded among us may have problems when it comes to finding the right Internet Service Provider (ISP). These are the companies that connect the computer in your home or office to the Internet over the phone line. There are thousands of offers out there and the mind boggling jargon some companies use often makes it near impossible to decide what package is best for you. Here's some advice and tips on what to consider when searching for your perfect ISP.

ISPs for a dial-up connection

Many people choose an ISP on price alone, so with this in mind (and assuming you use a dial-up connection) there are three basic packages to look at...

Free ISPs

These packages are great for home users who are only online for a few hours each day. You pay no monthly charges but instead pay the price of a local phone call. More recently however, companies such as AOL dial-up and Orange dial-up are offering unlimited net access, with phone calls included, for a small monthly fee. You need to bear in mind when considering these packages that they're not suitable for organisations or businesses as you cannot connect a network or run a database on your web site.

Pay-as-you-Go

Again these kinds of packages are fine if you spend a very short time online on a daily basis. With this option you can expect to pay £8 to £15 to your ISP, plus local call charges (4p a minute from BT during office hours). This does mean that you'll be constantly clock watching to make sure you don't spend too much, or on the other hand completely forget how long you've been online and end up spending a fortune!

Unmetered Packages

Perfect if you're online for more than a few hours a day. You pay a fixed monthly sum to your ISP but this covers the cost of all of your phone calls, meaning you can surf for as long as you like. BT has a great unmetered package called BT Internet Anytime. They charge £15.99 per month for unlimited internet access, or just £1 for your first month.

ISPs for a broadband connection

Of course more and more people these days are choosing to go with broadband, an extremely fast internet connection. The equipment is very similar to a dial-up connection. You'll have a modem, and in many cases the connection is still made through your telephone line. The difference is that you'll have an internet connection that is always on, 24 hours a day. Normally you pay a flat monthly fee, no matter how often you use the internet. Plus a broadband connection is much faster.

You'll be able to do things that just weren't practical with a dial-up connection. Such as:

Watch video clips and listen to music in real time, including live broadcasts.
Download music, software, film trailers and other files much more quickly.
Play games online.
Do everything you could do before, just much more quickly!

Finding your Broadband ISP can still be a minefield. Simply put, an ISP sells you access to the internet. Though services will vary from provider to provider, most ISPs will provide you with equipment you need – a broadband modem, microfilters and required software, and will ensure your connection remains active and trouble free.

In the UK, by far the three most popular types of ISP are:

ADSL – always on access over you phone line, available wherever BT phone lines are available
cable - uses a cable TV connection, growing availability but still mainly confined to built up areas
satellite – the most prominent last resort type of broadband access in the UK, does have wide availability but possibly prohibitive setup costs and performance issues

Again you really need to shop around for a suitable provider. If it's price you're looking at, Virgin do a £10.99 per month for the first twelve months based on a 2MB connection. Perhaps the best way to find yourself a Broadband ISP is to log on to www.broadband-finder.co.uk. Simply type in your postcode and a list of providers in your area and the full services they provide will appear before your very eyes, what could be easier?

Good luck and happy surfing.

(information correct summer 2007)