Internet Service Providers

Introduction

Internet Service Providers or 'ISPs' for short are companies who provide an entry point to the Internet. Before 2003 the most common type of connection offered by ISPs was dialup. ISDN lines were available, but the price was expensive, and was really only an option for medium to large businesses.

Guides

• ISP Line Test
• Moving ISP
• Wireless ISP networks

News

• ISP deals, plus a free PC with a processor
• ISP's forced to provide likely broadband speeds

Introduction cont...

With dialup connections limited to a speed of around 56k it became clear that Governments worldwide would need to invest in infrastructure if they wished their populations to be at the forefront of global communication.

Around 2005 the UK had more broadband users than dialup. Broadband not only offered a speed ten times faster than dialup, but also did not interfere with the phone line availability. A major drawback with dialup is that when it's used it blocks all phone calls from being received.

Whilst most towns and cities in the UK now have access to broadband there are still rural areas not connected yet. It usually requires 200 or more people to sign a petition and send it to BT.

Obviously this can be a problem to villages and hamlets cut off from any nearby towns. Most ISP websites will ask you to enter your phone number, then will then run a test to see whether your phone line has access to broadband.

What's required to access broadband?

Firstly you will need a PC with at least Windows 2000, a phone line which can access a broadband cable, a dsl modem or router, dsl filter and the necessary software CD.

Without a filter you will not beable to receive phone calls. Certain Internet Service Providers like BT and AOL sometimes provide a free modem and filter when you signup.

Once you have signed up for broadband it usually takes around two weeks for the ISP to agree contracts with BT and finalise the process.

The setup process is very simple, it's only a matter of plugging in the filter to a phone line, the modem into a USB port of your PC and following the instructions outlined by the installation CD.

Downloading, monthly usage limits

Whilst many ISP packages may initially look like a complete bargain, you should always check the small print. For example AOL is one of the most expensive ISPs per month when considering their download speed.

But, unlike most low cost packages they provide unmetered access. This is perfect if your a high end user. If your typical month's usage is 5-10 hours a day playing online games, or downloading thousands of music and movie files then you really need unmetered access.

You will soon be cut off from the like of tiscali, whose £6.49 package provides just 5GB usage per month. Even ISPs which state unmetered access sometimes sneakily put in the small print that extreme usage levels will result in decreased access.

The speed of service

To begin with broadband packages typically had a speed of either 256k, 512k or 1Mb. As competition increased the independent providers needed something to attract potential customers from the big boys.

Soon enough it was possible to receive speeds of 2Mb, 4Mb, 8Mb, and 10Mb and above. What most people don't realise is that this is a maximum rate.

If you live a good distance from a telephone exchange, or connect during peak times, then the speed you receive can be decreased substantially.

Changing ISPs

Whilst it's a fairly simple process, it can take time and will probably take a phone call to your existing ISP to obtain a MAC code. If your existing ISP is unreliable and unresponsive this process can become a nightmare.

It took a phone to AOL when I decided to change ISP, there wasn't a problem in obtaining the MAC code, but I did need to provide an answer as to why I wanted to change ISP. This process did contain subtle pressure, with the AOL representative providing counter arguments to my excuses and generally trying to twist my arm into not leaving.

I did finally receive the MAC code by email, but the ten or so minutes of wrangling on the phone to get it left a sour taste. As long as there are no delays in obtaining your MAC code the change over should take about 10 days.

One good point about this change over process was that AOL made sure I could connect to their service all the way up to the change over date. If your having problems then contact the Internet Service Providers Association.

Online gaming?

There will be no problems playing online PC games. But some users have suffered problems with Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's Xbox online gaming. Both machines have been supplied with a built-in Ethernet 10/100 communications port - but some ISPs, notably AOL users have had problems with IP address data in the setup process of the Xbox 360.

Features to look out for

To attract new users ISPs have been offering more and more features. Below are just a few of the features you should look out for,

• A free modem and filter.
• 24/7 online support, AOL are particularly good in this respect.
• Online security, anti virus and spam protection.

Privacy Policy

The information contained within this site is general in nature, and may not be applicable to all ISPs. We can also not guarantee the accuracy of the information.