Internet service providers (ISPs) have a lot to offer. In order to best choose an ISP, you must determine which services are most important to you. Features to consider include e-mail account options, Web hosting, technical support, modem speed support, and level of access available to you while you're traveling.

E-Mail Services

When evaluating your e-mail needs, the most important question to ask yourself is: How many e-mail accounts do I require? One e-mail address is fine for personal accounts, but if you are running a small business, chances are you will need multiple e-mail addresses to accommodate various employees or departments. If this is the case, you will definitely want to choose an ISP that offers multiple e-mail accounts.

If privacy is important to you, you'll want to choose an ISP with a formidable privacy policy. When you sign on with an ISP you will be asked to provide personal information, such as your name and phone number, that shouldn't be released to anyone unless you specify differently. Also, to avoid unwanted or spam e-mail, make sure you choose an ISP that can filter e-mail messages.

Web Services

For some, creating a Web site is fun, but hardly a priority. For others, especially small-business owners, establishing a well-designed, well-maintained Web site is a necessity. If you're one of the latter, you're probably better off retaining the services of a Web hosting company whose sole purpose is to make sure your site stays up and running. Although many ISPs provide members with Web space (commonly from 5 megabytes to 10 MB) and offer to host your site on their servers, the fact is that ISP Web site support is generally lacking. In addition, getting extra space (for hefty files, such as graphics and pictures) usually means incurring additional charges from your ISP.

Many ISPs also offer pornography and language filters, often called "family plans," that will block access to adult content and mature, graphic material.

Technical Support

ISP technical support is one of the most important features people consider when choosing an ISP. Busy signals, software that crashes, interminable download times — these annoyances can be common in the rapidly expanding online world. To meet user demand, many ISPs offer technical support via a toll-free telephone number 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If technical support is important to you, this is a must. How your ISP responds to online problems will often make the difference between a pleasurable or painful Internet experience.

Connectivity

It's important that your ISP's service is compatible with your hardware and your access needs. Currently, 56 kilobits per second (Kbps) is the fastest dial-up speed, and most ISPs support this configuration. Although dial-up Internet access is the most common and least expensive mode of logging on, there are also a number of other options Internet users should be aware of. Small to medium-sized business owners who depend on high-speed access should definitely investigate digital subscriber lines ( DSL), Integrated Servides Digital Network ( ISDN), cable modem, and T-1 and T-3 connectionoptions.

Not all ISPs are the same size or offer the same services. Local ISPs are generally smaller operations with competitive rates. National ISPs are bigger and host thousands of users. While international ISPs are few, they are mammoth corporations that let you gain access to the Internet from wherever you are around the world.

Local ISPs provide Internet access within your local area. They are generally small organizations that connect you to the Internet via a select number of local telephone lines. Compared with national and international ISPs, there are many more local ISPs to choose from. Because they have minimal operating costs, local ISPs can offer very competitive pricing. However, local ISPs may offer little in the way of technical support, proprietary content, and other perks that come as standard features with national and international ISPs. In addition, local ISPs cannot accommodate frequent travelers who need Internet access outside their local service area.

National ISPs offer Internet access to users across the country. Though fewer in number, they are much larger than local ISPs and have purchased thousands of phone lines to accommodate their many members. Generally, national ISPs charge a little more than local ISPs but, for many, the added fee is worth it. In addition to technical support, proprietary content, free Web space, and other perks, national ISPs offer credibility. National ISPs, such as America Online (AOL), CompuServe, and Microsoft Network (MSN), are familiar to most Internet users.

Global dial-up access is provided by a few of the largest national ISPs (AOL, CompuServe, MSN, PSINet, and UUNET, to name a few) who have either partnered with or bought out local ISPs in other countries. Access is not yet truly global, as many countries have underdeveloped telecommunications systems or governments that monopolize the existing telecommunications industries. Further, because service is dependent upon the local infrastructure and hardware, reliability and quality are hard to guarantee.

It's worth careful research before choosing an ISP. As with so many other aspects of setting up an online business, effective planning can save you a lot of grief in the long run.

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The WorkZ staff is made up of gurus in many areas of expertise including Sales, Marketing, all aspects of the Internet, Technology, even starting and running businesses.

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