Before you sign up for any discount Internet service provider, you should compare it with other services that are available. In order to avoid costly mistakes or a unpleasant surfing experience, it's very important that you read the Terms and Condition statements of each provider you are considering.

Things to look for when reading the T and C or an Internet Service Provider include the following:

Technical Support
Does the service offer tech support? Is it via phone or email? Do they charge for phone support? How do they charge - by the minute or by the incident? What hours are they available for tech support? What about their on-line support information? Is it well laid out and complete?

Advertising in E-mails
Does the service include advertising at the bottom of your e-mails?

Advertising on Web Browser
Does the ISP insert any advertising or solicitation material in the web browser. Services that require you do download their software (other than a dialer configuration) will often alter your browser to be able to serve ads to you as you surf.

Privacy
Does the Internet provider collect, store, compile, and utilize information about you and your computer, including information regarding the web sites you visit? Sounds scary, but trust me, some do, and you need to read the T and C to find out if this is a concern to you.

Other things to consider:

Email Accounts
All our ISP services include at least one free e-mail account. Some give you more and some will allow you add additional accounts for an extra fee. If you need more e-mail accounts you can set up free web-based e-mail accounts for other users. Another option would be to get personalized e-mail accounts from everyone.com.

Local Access Numbers
Be sure the provider you are considering has a local access number in your area and that it is NOT a long distance call from your home or office. Check with your operator if you're not sure. A provider with lots of access numbers will be convenient when you're traveling. Some even have numbers in Canada.

Web Accelerator
Most providers offer a high speed web accelerator service for an additional charge - usually about $5 per month. Some services include it free as part of their normal package. To learn more about the web acceleration process, read our article on web accelerators.

Spam Filters
Many providers are now offering free e-mail spam filters that can stop or even eliminate those damaging, unwanted and annoying e-mail messages that keep filling up your in-box.

Virus Protection
Many providers are also now offering virus protection. This does not protect your computer from viruses you may already have or might download in the future, so you should also have a virus protection program installed on your computer. What the ISP virus protection does is scan your incoming e-mail and strip away any viruses that may be contained in attachments. Keep in mind that ISP virus protection is only effective if the ISP keeps its virus definitions current. New viruses are constantly being developed, and it's always possible that a new one will slip through and end up on your computer. Get a virus protection program and don't depend entirely on your ISP!

v.92 Modem on Hold
If you sign up with a provider with v.92 technology, you can take advantage of the "modem on hold" feature. This feature lets you stay connected to the Internet while talking on the telephone; all over the same phone line. You must have a v.92 compatible modem and have call waiting installed on your phone line to use "modem on hold".

Special Software
Some ISP services require you to download their software in order to use their service. This often means they will be serving ads to your web browser and tracking your surfing habits. Our feeling is that you should look for a service that does not require special software. We highly recommend you learn to manually set up your dial-up networking on your PC and avoid downloading un-necessary software. The one exception would be the software for the accelerated services if you choose that option.

PC and MAC compatible
Of course everything is PC compatible, but not all services are compatible with the Mac OS. If you know how to configure your remote access (dialer), you can make any of these services work, but only a few offer the accelerated service for Macs. If you are a Mac user, look for a service that gives good instructions on how to set-up your Mac for using their service.

Cancellation Policy
Something we seldom think of when signing up for a new service is "how do I cancel", but it is something you should consider. Do they tell you on their web site how to cancel? Is there a penalty for early cancellation? Do they offer a 30 day money back guarantee? Some services are set as 12 month contracts and there is an early cancellation penalty. Make sure you know the policy and also the procedure to cancel before you sign up.