Whether you’ve just settled into a new home or need to find a better internet service provider (ISP) with a more reliable connection, you want to find something that meets all your needs. Everyone’s list of demands will look different, and having a solid idea of what you need is the best first step to take when beginning this search. A home that houses a family of four will need a different kind of plan than an individual living in a condo, and the activities of the residents in those locations will determine what exactly will be required.
Whatever it is that you require from your Internet service, you’ll be sure to find an ISP compatible with those standards. According to the CIA, the nation has 7,000 different ISPs in various regions of the country. Some offer Internet access to a wider area of service than others, like AT&T and Verizon, so there is something for everyone.
The plan you pick should have enough bandwidth to effectively transmit data to all devices that could possibly be connected to the Internet using WiFi at the same time. When residential homes began using the Internet for personal matters in the 1990s, dial-up modems were used to connect. Dial-up utilizes telephone cables and connections to facilitate an Internet connection. Most of us have heard of dial-up and have probably even used it before, but it is not as popular as other methods of connecting. However, it is still widely common, with over 2 million Internet users choosing it as their means of accessing the World Wide Web.
Today, the majority of homes have wireless and cable broadband connections. This type of connection is constantly on and running and can be referred to as high-speed Internet. With broadband Internet, users can connect in a few different ways. These include cable, DSL, satellite, and fiber optic lines. Each choice has its benefits and its drawbacks, but the cable is the most used across the nation. This is normally the most simple option due to the large number of telephone service providers that also offer Internet access, so most people will just obtain it from who they get phone services.
Cable connections are a good option for simple installation. Cable Internet speeds vary depending on the region where the service is being provided. Usually, speeds are anywhere from 3 Mbps to 100 or higher. That isn’t to say cable does not have downsides to it. Cable internet providers are notorious for having bad customer service practices and are not all that time with their solutions to any problems customers may be experiencing. This is just a generalization, but it holds across the board most times.
The next option, DSL, is a direct subscriber line and normally operates at slower speeds than cable but still maintains the ability for streaming. Speeds are affected by the physical proximity to the provider. Satellite is another option that has just begun to gain traction after Starlink was established. Fiber optic Internet is also becoming much more popular among users.
Click here to read about what exactly an Internet service provider does.