Choosing an Internet Service Provider

1. Assess your Internet needs (see points 2–9): your Internet requirements form the basis for choosing a suitable Internet service provider (ISP).
2. Establish whether you want an Internet connection for a single computer or a network; consider how many email addresses you want.
3. Determine what type of connection you require: standard dial-up or a faster broadband connection such as ADSL.
4. Decide if you want the ISP to host your website; if so, estimate how large the site will be and how much traffic is likely.
5. Decide whether you want to register and own one or more domain names you have chosen.
6. Investigate whether you will use any special technologies: for example, for handling e-commerce payments or linking to a database.
7. Consider whether you need access from outside the office, or even internationally.
8. Assess whether you are likely to need support: for example, troubleshooting or building and maintaining your website.
9. Consider how your Internet needs are likely to change in future.
10. Seek ISP recommendations from your IT experts, advisers and contacts with similar Internet needs.
11. Check which ISPs meet your requirements and whether they offer any extras you would find useful, such as software.
12. Compare costs, including any set-up and domain-name registration fees, annual fees, call costs, web space or usage charges and support costs.
13. Investigate ISPs’ reputations for speed and reliability; look for published performance data and check whether they have signed up to the Internet Service Providers Association’s code of practice.
14. Check what security measures they provide to protect your email and website (if required) against viruses, unsolicited emails and hacking.
15. Check what contract terms the ISP offers — for example, contract duration and service standards — and how problems will be handled.

Cardinal Rules

Do:

• base the decision on your requirements
• choose an ISP likely to meet your future needs
• assess cost based on how you will use the internet

Don't:

• assume all ISPs offer good service