Choosing an Internet Service Provider: The Ultimate Guide

As claimed by the American Customer Satisfaction index, broadband providers received very low customer satisfaction in 2015. According to the report, the consumers are consistently unsatisfied with the coverage and price of both fixed and wireless internet. This only makes consumers more confused about which internet service provider is the best.

There are so many internet service providers available today. But are they available in your area? This is just one of the questions that you might ask before choosing an ISP.

So how can you find the best internet service provider out there right now? Let's find out.

Options in Your Area

Check out the web to know which internet service providers are available in your area.

Fiber optics and cable providers are usually available in the city. But in more rural areas, internet services are limited.

Internet Speed

This is the most important thing people look for internet service. But before choosing an internet plan, you should first consider your browsing habits. If you are a heavy user, then you should really get a high-speed connection plan. Faster internet speed usually cost more. But if you only browse and do light video streaming, then you can choose cheaper plans which are slower compared to the faster one.

Types of Connection

Most households get faster download speeds compared to upload speeds. This is called asymmetrical connection. Downloading is when you use the internet to receive content like online gaming, video streaming or just by browsing through Facebook. Uploading refers to when you send files over the internet or do a video call. This setup works for households because most people download content more frequently than they upload.

But if you are a business owner, you might want to choose a symmetrical connection. You will get the same speed for download and upload in this type of connection.

Internet Delivery Method

To make it simple, internet service from a cable company most likely provide the most reliable and fastest speeds. It also cost more compared to internet service from a phone company over DSL. Digital subscriber lines are cheaper than cable, but a little slower. Satellite internet services have the widest coverage, but they are slow and expensive.

Plans & Packages

Now that you know the internet speed you need, and which ISP companies the availability of ISPs in your area, you now need to look for the best deal you can get.

Here are some things that you should take into consideration:

Promotions

Promotions are usually available to new customers. ISP companies often give discounts to their new customers for one whole year. But make sure that you can pay for the full price once the promotional period is over.

Bundles

A lot of cable companies have bundles consisting of television, internet and phone service. But think hard before signing up for these bulk deals because internet providers tend to lock in their customers with more services.

If you don't see yourself using a specific service frequently, then don't sign up for a bundle. You might end up paying more than you should.

Customer Service

You must look for excellent and reliable customer service when you are getting any kind of service. The problem is that it is so hard to find an ISP with good customer service.

If you will use the internet service for business, then this is really essential. You can't say when you're going to experience connection problems. Still, it would be great if you know that once you report it to the customer service, they would take action right away.

Negotiation

If you are low in budget, then you might want to negotiate prices and services with your internet provider. Bundles do not usually get high satisfaction rating from the consumers, but they can still pay off. Consumers who attempt to negotiate with the ISP usually get a new promotional rate, extra TV channels and faster internet speed.

Conclusion

You would probably end up having two or three choices of an internet service provider. It is now up to you to compare and search for their different deals and offers. You must also remember that smaller companies tend to have faster and cheaper internet service since they only provide their service to fewer users compared to big companies.

Top 10 Internet company and Internet company websites

We ranked the best Internet company websites so that you can find what you need.

Last updated: 2024-10-28

Rank

Provider

Description & Features

Site

1

★★★★★

176 Data points

High Speed Internet Access Guide
High Speed Internet Access Guide
Wireless Internet - Learn about the various 3G, 4G and 5G wireless technologies for accessing mobile data both inside and outside your home. With the recent explosion of Internet TV and other forms of web-based video, having a fast broadband Internet connection is pretty much a necessity.

2

★★★★★

163 Data points

Search All Internet Providers by Zip Code ...
Search All Internet Providers by Zip Code ...
In most areas, you will find one major cable company, one major telephone company, and one or two satellite companies providing internet service. Although this is typical, exactly which companies are available to you will vary based on your area.

3

★★★★★

151 Data points

List of largest Internet companies - Wikipedia
List of largest Internet companies - Wikipedia
This is a list of internet companies by revenue and market capitalization. The list is restricted to dot-com companies, defined as a company that does the majority of its business on the Internet, with annual revenues exceeding US$1 billion. It excludes Internet service providers or other information technology companies.

4

★★★★

140 Data points

EarthLink
EarthLink
EarthLink is a leading Internet Service provider, offering reliable high-speed internet, safe and affordable. No matter the usage or device, we have you covered. Find the service right for you. Earthlink offers all internet services you need, none of the bundles you don’t.

5

★★★★

129 Data points

NetZero
NetZero
NetZero, recognized as the pioneer of free internet access in the late 90s, has been providing high quality, low cost internet services for over 20 years. We have helped millions save money every month on the services they use to connect with the people (and content) they love. Let NetZero help you save money, starting today!

6

★★★★

120 Data points

CenturyLink
CenturyLink
Like most companies, we have certain information about our customers and use it to provide our services. We also share it as needed to meet our business goals or fulfill our legal obligations. We protect the information we have about our customers, and we require those we share it with to protect it too.

7

★★★★

111 Data points

The 25 Largest Internet Companies In The World ...
The 25 Largest Internet Companies In The World ...
The 25 Largest Internet Companies In The World. Amazon, an American electronic commerce and cloud computing company, tops the list of the largest internet company by revenue. Google is the second largest internet company whose main activity is internet search engine operation.

8

★★★

103 Data points

Internet Providers In My Area by Zip Code » Compare Deals ...
Internet Providers In My Area by Zip Code » Compare Deals ...
Find internet service with download speeds up to 1 Gbps from Fiber, Cable, DSL, Wireless and Satellite providers. Check availability by ZIP code or address, compare speeds and prices, and pick the best internet provider.

9

★★★

95 Data points

Spectrum
Spectrum
Get the best triple play deals on Cable TV, High Speed Internet, and Home Phone Service for a low monthly price - includes Free HD and no contracts.

10

★★★

88 Data points

AT&T Internet Service Deals - High Speed Internet Providers
AT&T Internet Service Deals - High Speed Internet Providers
AT&T Fiber℠ offers technology that powers our fastest internet service with ultra-fast upload and download speeds and enough bandwidth to support all your devices. Internet powered by AT&T Fiber offers technology that increases network speed and capabilities—so you can do everything you need on the internet faster!

Internet company videos considered

We analyzed 1,702 hours of the most informative Internet company videos. These videos stood out the most:

Local Internet company near you

Honest Networks

299 Broadway, New York, NY 10007

Natural Wireless

1412 Broadway, New York, NY 10018

CMPLTE

535 Fifth Ave, Fl 4

Optimum Cable/Cablevision

Brooklyn, NY

Oraiko

11 Broadway, Ste 1051

Spectrum

396 Grand St, New York, NY 10002

Bway

424 Broadway, Ste 405

Starry

New York, NY 10016

Beluga Labs

244 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Useful Internet company Resources

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This comparison site is made up of our own opinions and views. The ranking is determined at our discretion and is not to be used for accuracy purposes. We can provide this service at no charges thanks to a combination of referral fees and advertising income we receive from various publishers and service providers. These payments may affect our rankings and the score we assign to websites, products, and vendors. Our ratings do not imply endorsement of any kind. This website's information, rankings, and vendor list is subject to change without notice at any time.