On this edition of Helpful Little Articles, we would be letting just how to make sure you get the best Internet Service Provider (ISP) for your home or office.
Personal Needs
There is different types of broadband and each suitable for different.
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DSL
Digital Subscribers Line is what most people use in these parts. They are extremely convenient as most people are on their mobile phones. The speeds hover between 25mbps and 100mbps. Most phones are hotspot enabled so with a big enough plan, you can share with your other devices.
Cable Broadband
This is ideal when a large number of people have to be served internet and obviously the speeds are much higher as in excess of 100mbp. The trouble with it is that a large number of people logged on can cause slow speeds at times. Also, they are not common in these parts.
Satellite Broadband
This service makes use of satellite dishes and is usually suitable for remote areas. They are much more available than cable in these parts but are more expensive and cover a wider area and serve much more people than even cables and obviously faster nowadays although it was not always so. Generally, people don’t turn to satellite though.
Fibre Optics Broadband
By far the fastest of the bunch when it comes to the internet. It is the main infrastructure upon which much of today’s high-speed internet is on. With speeds of over 500mbps, it is a fad in today’s world and many ISPs are offering it nowadays.
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Most people are on to DSL or fibre optics because of the availability of affordability and convenience generally and also their compatibility with mobile phones. So in getting one for yourself, you must consider your needs versus these stated factors.
Mobility
We did say that the mobile phone is a major factor in considering the nature of life in the present day. For those who have multiple needs when it comes to the internet, a MiFi would come in handy.
Data Caps
If you are a heavy data user then consider an ISP that doesn’t do data caps at all. A data cap will mean that upon reaching your data cap, you would not be able to use such a plan.
Pricing
Pricing is multi-faceted. Find out if you have to buy or rent a modem or router from them by asking directly. Ask if the prices are introductory and bound to increase once they are sure of your continued patronage. Find out if there are other services bundled up with the broadband as some providers tend to offer other services and sell them all as one package. They call them ‘value-added services’. Some actually offer antivirus programs along with the internet so knowing this will help you make a good decision get a good bang for your buck.
Recommendation
Consider the advice of those around you from friends to family and colleagues and acquaintances. This will help get a better picture of how well the service works in your locale as they stay there too themselves. This is because there is really no accurate reviews online that are not overly damning or too embellishing of the product. So word of mouth helps you get a balanced view of things.
Customer Service/Location
Make sure to settle for something that the vendors are not hard to reach. Asides the fact that the distance will be a factor affecting your service maintenance and even warranty if any, it helps to know you can walk into a customer service centre and make a complaint or change your plan.
All things considered, none of these factors is foolproof, in truth, but as a customer, it helps to know you did your research before settling for any service and the chances are you will get a better than one who doesn’t.
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