NetZero Internet Options
Launched in 1998, NetZero was the first free internet service provider. Instead of users paying monthly fees, NetZero relied on advertising for revenue. NetZero has expanded its offerings over the years to stay competitive with other ISPs. The company offers a variety of free and pay-per-month options, including high-speed broadband.
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Dial-Up Internet Access
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NetZero offers four plans for dial-up Internet access. Free Dial-Up Internet Access is still available but is limited to 10 hours per month, and it uses banner ads that slow down your connection speed. Unlimited Dial-Up Service is available for $14.95 a month and has no banner ads. NetZero also offers Accelerated Dial-Up Service that is faster than a regular dial-up connection, but nowhere near the speeds of broadband. However, it is must less expensive per month than broadband. For users who live in remote areas where there may not be a local access number, NetZero offers Toll-Free Accelerated Dial-Up Service for $19.95 per month, which they advertise as: "Fastest Dial-Up You Can Get!" Unlike the Accelerated Dial-Up Service, the Toll-Free plan is limited to 30 hours per month.
All of the dial-up plans offer an email account, spam and virus protection, online email access and thousands of phone numbers. As with any dial-up Internet Service provider, it's best to call and check how many local access numbers are available in your area before you sign-up.
DSL / Broadband
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Depending upon whether or not it is available in your area, NetZero offers three different DSL/Broadband plans. None of these plans has hourly usage restrictions. As with all the prices mentioned in this guide, these rates are current as of September 2009 and may be subject to change. The DSL Saver plan is currently available for $9.95 per month for the first six months and then $22.95 per month thereafter. DSL Saver offers up to 768Kbps speed, which is ¾ of a megabyte per second. The midrange plans is the DSL Speedsaver 25X which offers up to 1.5 megabytes per second speed. Currently this plan has an introductory charge of $22.95 a month for the first three months and then $29.95 per month afterwards. Their highest speed offering, DSL Pro 50X offers up to 3 megabytes per second speed for $31.95 per month.
In regards to pricing, NetZero has the following disclaimer on their website, "Introductory offers not available in all areas. Additional fees may apply including a Supplier Surcharge Recovery Fee of up to $2.25. Plans may require a commitment period; commitment periods may vary depending on service location. Discounted plans will revert to the then current rate after the discount period has ended. All plans require a one-time processing & handling fee of $25.00. Cancellation prior to the end of the commitment period may incur an early termination fee."
In addition to all the features that the dial-plans offer, the DSL plans all come with a free modem with built-in firewall.
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