Start an ISP Business

Starting your own ISP business can be a very risky venture, but in today's internet saturated world it can also be very lucrative. You will need to have a good business plan in place and make sure to cover every angle of your business needs before you decide to start a new company.

Instructions

1. Get the basics of your ISP business taken care of before even considering getting equipment. Complete any registration of your business that needs to be done and apply for the licenses to operate your ISP in whichever state you will be based in.

2. Setup your company's offices with security in mind, as you will be housing valuable servers and computer equipment. Consider options such as key card locked doors or intercom systems.

3. Find a reliable billing software program or develop your own in-house so that your customers can expect to receive an accurate bill on time every single month.

4. Shop around for the large scale Internet backbone providers that you will have to pay monthly to be able to provide Internet service to your customers. Check with them to see who is charging the most competitive rate and if they have discounts based on the volume of bandwidth that you will be providing.

5. Decide on what protocol your ISP will use to relay internet service, such as the Plain Telephone Service Protocol or the Network News Relay Protocol. Each has its advantages and disadvantages depending on the size of your customer base and what services you will be providing.

6. Purchase the servers, routers, and ethernet cables that you will need. Keep in mind that the initial investment in this equipment will likely be quite large, and you will want to make sure you have the most reliable and up to date equipment possible.

7. Come up with an effective marketing strategy so that people know about your business and have a reason to pick you over any other ISP company.

Tips & Warnings

• Hire on a staff of professional IT consultants and make sure that you are able to contact them any time day or night, as you don't want to be left in the lurch if your servers suddenly crash and none of your customers can access the internet.

Resources

• The Start An ISP Company
• ISP Ltd.