The number of Internet clients and therefore Internet Service Providers (ISPs) is increasing every day, which is beneficial to the end-user. If you are someone who is planning to install the internet in your home or plan to switch to a different provider, you will find a bunch of different (most likely irrelevant and totally unknown to the general user) information by which each provider will try to lure you into signing contract with them.
Well-designed sites, promotions, benefits are not enough to make the right choice. Just because they offer is so huge, the choice should be very wise and advantageous for the user. Of course, we have to be realistic and take into account practical limitations like an area where you live, providers who offer services, budget, etc.
We hope that the text will ease your selection and help you make the right choice.
We will first briefly introduce the types of connection to choose from:
DSL – The benefits are stability, good speed and use of existing infrastructure, but on the other hand, the problem is declining effectiveness with increasing distance.
Cable internet – The advantage of cable internet over DSL is the better utilization of the connection between the main station and the user, ie. smaller transmission losses, the possibility of higher flow from the user to the main station (upload), etc.
The downside of using the Internet over a cable connection is the sharing of one physical cable and one bandwidth by all users on the same branch, there is no direct connection from the main station to each user, but with new technologies, this problem can be pretty much reduced.
Satellite internet – Is it possible worldwide to have cable-free, mobile-free and affordable Internet? Yes, it’s possible. All this is offered by satellite internet, which is constantly progressing and getting better. We will single out HughesNet Internet as the best satellite internet provider that is constantly improving, increasing speed and eliminating all problems quickly.
There are other types such as mobile internet, wireless, cellular and long gone Dial-up. They have certain upsides but they cannot be compared to the above. Let’s say for wireless cons are a signal limitation, low security, sensitivity to external conditions and interference.
Now we come to the part when you need to think and understand what your needs are and that will be one of the crucial parts in deciding.
Speed and Latency – What will you use it for
Speed and latency differences may not be so important to the average user who uses the internet for surfing, social networks, email and similar needs.
But for people involved in programming, streaming content, making frequent video calls, playing games online, to them, any improvement will make a big difference and improve the business. People who download large files often will save a lot of time, and we all know that files are getting bigger and bigger nowadays.
Also, we are living in the age of streaming services that broadcast their program in HD and 4k which is very demanding. Whoever once watched the game through NBA and NFL GamePass knows how frustrating it can be if the internet is slow or not running at the same speed all the time. It also matters how many people are using the Internet as a large number tends to slow it down
User Experience
What else can help you decide is the experience of other users? Research the web, but don’t make that be your only source, because many people praise or criticize services after only a few days when they can’t have a clear picture. There are also many paid comments and criticism by competitors. Perhaps the best way to find out is from the people who live in your neighborhood.
If one provider is often malfunctioning in your area, it will be a good sign for you to change your mind. If the switchboard that your neighbors are connected to is far away, and everyone tells you that they often run out of the internet, you know that this is the provider you will avoid, the same if the flow rate decreases in proportion to the nightfall, etc.
Pricing
The most important part at the end of the day is how much you are willing to pay. Desires are one thing and possibilities are another. You may want the best 4K stream, stable video calls and many other things, but your budget doesn’t allow it.
Explore deals and prices in detail. Most providers offer bundles which are certainly the best choice if you use several services from the same company, like combinations of internet, cable and phone. If this is not the case for you, follow the promotions.
For the most part of the year, some promotions are active, and especially immense during holidays, Black Friday, etc. You can also save by switching from one provider to another. The customer war is always active and everyone will be happy to welcome you to their flock.
Now, when we are nearing the end and you’ve already narrowed your choices let’s also analyze some things that may not come to your mind at first but maybe deciding factor. Ask about the equipment installation and whether it comes with a price or free of charge. Furthermore, there’s customer support.
The important thing is how well their call service is operating, for how many hours during weekdays, weekends and holidays it works. The ideal situation is 24/7 but even close to it fares well.
And finally the contract. Contracts are usually written on a huge number of pages and none of us read them in detail. But what you need to pay attention to is the length of the contract, then whether the provider can change the package price, speed and other things without consulting you, whether the contract is automatically renewed and what are the terms of termination of the contract before the due date. All of this can seem like a triviality and later give us a headache.
We hope this analysis helped you in the making of the best possible choice for yourself.
