Things You'll Need:
- A computer with an Internet connection
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Step 1
Assess Your Anticipated Internet Activity. What will you be using the Web for? Are you interested in simply using e-mail, or will you be uploading videos to YouTube and other video sharing sites? Do you want to take the plunge into social networking sites including MySpace, Facebook, and Linkedin? Will you be sharing photos with your immediate family? Or maybe you just want to get the daily news from CNN? All of these considerations will help you in choosing the ISP that's right for you.
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Step 2
Choose Dial-Up or Broadband. Back when the Internet revolution began during the mid-to-late 1990s, dial-up was the only internet access protocol available for the average consumer (of course, offices had been connected directly via T1 lines for quite some time). Back then, dial-up worked; websites were relatively simple with mere text and images, so dial-up bandwidth was appropriate. However, today is a different story. The Web has morphed into a complex medium of videos, animated graphics, Flash widgets, and interactive modules. Unless you are using the internet simply for e-mail and that's it, you need broadband. And since the cost of broadband has declined significantly in recent years, there's no real reason why you shouldn't have it.
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Step 3
Choose Cable, DSL (phone lines), or Fiber Optic. If you currently have cable television service, contact your cable company for more information on their internet service plans or point your Web browser to their corporate website. DSL is the most popular and uses your regular phone line through a DSL modem provided by your new internet service provider. Fiber optic is a newer technology called Fiber to the Premises, or FTTP. Verizon is one ISP that offers fiber optic internet service dubbed "Verizon FIOS" to select communities in U.S. cities. The only drawback is the higher cost of service for fiber optic internet service; but the benefit is wireless internet access in the home and the option of wireless digital television service as well.
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Step 4
Choose Internet Speed Package. Internet data speeds are measured in kilobits per second (kbps) on the lower end and megabits per second (mbps) on the higher end. Speed ratings are broken down into two categories: download and upload speeds. Most of your Web experience is going to consist of downloading, or retrieving information from a remote server. Uploading occurs when you're sending data to a server from your computer. Downloading is memory-intensive; thus download speeds are always higher. Upload speeds are lower because you're sending out data to a server rather than receiving it; for example, sending an e-mail. Most of the time (particularly when surfing the Web), users download far more often than they upload. Before you select a broadband package, sit down and assess how you'll be using the Internet. If you just want to surf the Web, check your e-mail, and set up a MySpace or Facebook account, a simple 768 kbps download/128 kbps upload (otherwise known as basic broadband) will suffice. But if you have a YouTube account and you're uploading lots of videos, consider a faster 3.0 mbps download/768 kbps upload package.
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Step 5
Choose Your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Numerous ISPs are competing for your business, ranging from smaller companies to the large telecoms including Verizon and AT&T. If you have cable television, you may find a good deal from your cable company. Your current phone company may offer a good deal as well, even offering one bill for phone and internet service for greater convenience. In terms of internet speeds, they will remain the same whether you go with a large ISP or a smaller one.
Comments
writer7 said
on 12/9/2008 Lots of really detailed information. 5 star article. Thanks!