How to Choose an ISP That’s Right For You
As broadband becomes more and more popular, internet service providers (ISP’s) are popping up all over the place. But buyers beware — like anything in demand, some cowboys come into the market and the only people who suffer are their consumers. Below is a guide to choosing a great ISP so you don’t get caught out of pocket with a bad internet connection.
Do Your Research
Word of mouth is the perfect place to start with your ISP research. Talk to friends and family about their experiences with their own ISP and remember to ask about how much they pay per month, how long the contract is, what their data limit is, the reliability of the service and what other extras the package comes with. If you have access to the internet, there are some great websites that let you compare ISP’s side by side so you can evaluate exactly what you’ll be getting with each of them.
ISP’s and Their Services
While many providers offer traditional broadband, there are now a wide range of other products that are available. These include mobile broadband that allows you to maintain an internet connection through a USB dongle and naked DSL which alleviates the need for renting a phone line unlike regular broadband.
Compare to Save
Once you’ve narrowed down the choices, be sure to take a closer look at the ISP’s you’ve identified as contenders. Have a look at their history, how long they’ve been around, what other services they offer (so you can possibly bundle them to save even more), if they’ve had any troubles with their service or with consumers and lastly how flexible their contracts are if they need to be broken.
Promotions and Offers
If any of the ISP’s you’ve identified as front runners have promotions running at the time, be sure to understand what conditions are attached to the offer. Many ISP’s often advertise free connection or the like, but usually do require a 12 or 24 month commitment. If this kind of contract length doesn’t suit or isn’t within your budget, don’t be lured by the promotion. Being stuck in a contract you can’t afford isn’t worth the saving of something like a connection fee.
Download Limits
Finally, be sure that there are no excess usage charges if you go over your monthly data limit. Many ISP’s today no longer charge this fee, but they do slow your internet speed to a dial up connection. The best way to avoid any nasty surprises is to read the fine print before you commit to anything.
Netspace is a leading Broadband and ADSL ISP that provides Broadband Internet solutions to residential and business customers within Australia.
