An ISP provides internet access for a fee. Consumers should consider the type of access they want and review the privacy policy and TOS before subscribing. Different ISPs offer different benefits and prices, so research is important.
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that charges a monthly or annual fee in exchange for providing the subscriber with access to the Internet. Internet access methods include dial-up service, cable, DSL, and more. While some ISPs are local and only serve subscribers in a limited geographic region, others provide service nationwide.
When looking for an ISP, consumers usually start by considering the type of Internet access they want. Some companies only offer dial-up access, which is the slowest, but cheapest type of connection. Consumers who want cable service will want to check with their local cable TV provider to see if cable access is offered. For DSL service, people can have more choices, although DSL is not available in all locations. Customers can often call the phone company to inquire about service availability or plans to upgrade local phone lines.
Each ISP has a privacy policy and a Terms of Service (TOS) agreement that subscribers must agree to before a subscription is accepted. The privacy policy will indicate what the company will and will not do with the personal information collected when you register. The privacy policy should also state under what conditions an individual’s personal information may be shared with third parties, government officials, or others.
The TOS agreement also sets out how subscribers can use the service. For example, dial-up access is often sold as “unlimited access,” but this shouldn’t be taken literally. Dial-up accounts typically limit access to 250 to 400 hours per month, depending on the company. Truly unlimited access (leaving your computer on and actively connected to the Internet 24/7) is called dedicated access and is offered by most DSL or cable subscriptions that allow dedicated access.
Your ISP’s Terms of Service agreement will also set out rules about hacking, protecting copyrighted materials, denial-of-service attacks, harassing other people, spam, compromised service, and many other issues. These are as much for the legal protection of the provider as they are to let potential subscribers know what the company will and will not tolerate.
Consumers intending to use the web space provided by the ISP should check the limitations here as well. Many companies do not allow commercial websites to be built on their servers. This usually means that nothing can be sold from a personal website, including a software program that the individual has written, original music, or anything else. Websites operated through the provider are normally for personal use only, for blogging, posting pictures, and so on.
Once a customer finds an ISP that offers the services, privacy policy and TOS they can live with, that person can register online via a public terminal or call the provider directly. Name, address and usually a credit card number are required to establish service. From there, all that needs to be done is enter the ISP’s access number and a few other parameters into networking software on a computer.
The services vary in price according to the package offered and the type of service. Dial-up is less expensive, but is much slower than other access methods and often has fewer features. The different benefits vary greatly between ISPs, with some offering multiple email accounts, large amounts of web space, or prepay discounts. DSL and cable companies will also be different, so customers should read the offers carefully before deciding. There are many websites offering current subscriber reviews of various companies, which could be helpful in making a decision.
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