How do I Choose the Best Free ISP?

You can choose the best free internet service provider (ISP) by reviewing the features of the free account that the company offers and comparing those features to your personal or business needs. It is unlikely that a free ISP will suffice for the Internet connectivity demands of a commercial operation. Consider the number of hours per month allowed by the plan, the method of connectivity offered, whether you will have to view advertising banners or pop-ups, the access you will have to customer service and technical support, whether you will have to install ISP software and whether you will have post office protocol version 3 (POP3) email. These are the most important things to consider when selecting the best ISP to serve your home.

Time for surfing the web allotted by free ISP accounts generally is limited to about 8 hours per month, so you must consider whether that will be sufficient for your needs. Keep in mind, however, that unlimited time for surfing is virtually non-existent with free accounts. Also, consider how you need or want to connect to the Internet. For example, if you have want to connect by cable, you will need to search for a free cable ISP, and if you want a dial-up connection, you will need to locate a free dial-up ISP. The same advice applies if you want a digital subscriber line (DSL) or wireless connection.

Most free ISP accounts display advertisements in the form of banners across the top of your browser or pop-up advertisements in the middle of web pages as you navigate the web. There are settings within your browser and software programs designed to prevent pop-ups, but advertisements in the form of banners cannot be avoided with most accounts. Keep this in mind if you think that you will be annoyed by the banners. Remember also that most email accounts provided by a free ISP also will display advertisements, usually at the end of your messages — advertisements that you might consider inappropriate or with which you might be uncomfortable.

Consider what type of access to customer service and technical support you will have. Most free ISP accounts serve their members only with frequently asked questions (FAQs) and email, to which they might not respond in a timely manner. If you prefer to speak with a live customer service representative or technical support agent, you might want to avoid customer service by email and FAQs. The operating system that you run also will determine what some of your choices are. Some operating systems will allow you to install almost any ISP software, but other operating systems cannot support an account with a free ISP that requires the installation of software that is designed to run under another operating system.