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How to Choose an Internet Provider

Nowadays, you can hardly find a person who doesn’t use the web. The world has changed for the last decades, and the Internet has become its integral part. Most people use it for work and studying, not to mention entertainment. And the right choice of an Internet provider guarantees that you will have Internet access whenever you need it, and your digital experience will be maximal comfortable. They say that people get used to something good quickly, and it is true. We are used to all the opportunities the web provides us with and want to get the best service possible. So, it is crucial to choose the best Internet provider not to face any difficulties in the future. What things should you pay attention to?

1. Price & quality ratio

Price is one of the key factors people consider when selecting a service. However, when it comes to choosing the Internet provider, it would be more reasonable to consider not the price only but the scope of services you get for it. For instance, it is worth examining providers available in your area and comparing their tariff plans with a specified speed. Don’t opt for the lowest price offer unless it is promotional if you want to get quality service. Even if you need the Internet just to chat with friends, scroll down the news feed or read something online, slow Internet connection can irritate.

The most win-win option is to choose an average market price if you don’t have special requirements for your future Internet provider. Artificially lowered prices suggest that you can forget about high-speed Internet access. And bear in mind that you may have to pay for the connection in addition to the subscription rate, so you will have several expense items. The cost may depend on your location and whether the connection requires physical cable pulling to your apartment. Rates may vary depending on the area due to the different services’ costs, so you should better clarify prices for your city.

2. Access technology

A cable connection is considered the most stable and hassle-free way to access the Internet. In some countries, they still use ADSL access that implies the usage of a telephone line. In the latter case, the speed rarely exceeds 10 Mb/s. However, if you live in a rural area or a cable connection is not available for technical reasons, there are wireless Internet options. It is about satellite Internet, WiMAX, and UMTS / WCDMA technologies. They will be enough to find some info or hire a paper writing helper, but your capabilities will be limited. Thus, these access options have significant disadvantages, and actual access speed may differ greatly from the stated one. The thing is that the speed via any wireless channel depends on the peak periods and natural barriers to the signal. Thus, it is worth opting for wireless Internet at home only when you cannot pull a cable. Often, access technology depends on a specific area.

3. Speed

If you need the Internet for work or studying, then the chances are high that its speed is crucial for you. Thus, you should be sure that you will have sufficient speed even during peak periods. Of course, everything will depend on your location and options available for your region, but it is worth paying attention to 100 Mb/s or more. It will be enough for any task, including streaming videos, but if you want to watch movies in 8k resolution, opt for 300 Mb/s if possible. Usually, info about possible speed is mentioned in the column “Bandwidth.”

It is worth checking not only the download speed but also the upload speed. You can use special programs or ask your neighbors who are already connected to this provider about the real speed indicators.

4. Additional services

When choosing a provider, it is worth paying attention to the additional services that the company can provide you with. It may seem that you do not need anything except for the connection, but you may face such a need in the future. For instance, a potential Internet provider can offer static IP, cloud storage, antivirus, etc. Often, companies position themselves as a telecommunications provider, and in addition to Internet access, they provide cable TV services with a wide selection of channels, including exclusive ones. Moreover, such services can cost you less when it comes to a package with Internet access. 5. Reviews

Reviews are perhaps the most ambiguous thing when choosing an Internet provider. How often have you come across positive reviews online? The chances are high that this number will be pretty small. The thing is that when the service works normally, people don’t have the “motivation” to look for a specialized spot to share their experience. So, it turns out that the reviews about the companies are mostly negative. And the more clients a provider has, the more negative reviews you can come across. Nevertheless, it is still worth examining reviews. For example, you can find out about the most common issues with the chosen provider. You will also learn how quickly the company’s specialists solve such problems, how they react to criticism, how they work on customer loyalty. All this helps form an objective opinion about the company.