For most people, Wi-Fi is a necessity, it’s not a luxury anymore. However, every household has different needs and considerations when it comes to choosing the right Internet Service Provider company. It’s important to determine the factors that will influence your choice. You can start by comparing several broadband deals and bundles before you make any decision. And with the rise of the remote culture, the Internet is as important as other utilities like electricity and water. Without Internet access, you simply can’t operate. Also, you are using the Internet as a primary source of entertainment while watching Netflix, TV series, shows, playing online games, etc. For that purpose, we will talk in this article about certain things you need to consider before making an informed decision and choosing your ISP.
Cost
Internet access does not have the same price for everybody. You can choose between packages and deals and select the one that will fit your needs. And it needs to have a good balance between price and speed. For example, if you are working from home and let’s say you pay $1,000 for a fiber connection it just doesn’t make sense. However, if you are running a small business with 30 employees, this price is reasonable since you’ll need a better Internet connection to be able to perform the tasks.
Availability and Reliability
This is one of the biggest factors when deciding on the right ISP. Especially in rural areas. Fiber connection or high-speed cable might not be available in these rural areas, so make sure the company provides such services. A lot of homeowners and businesses have just a few options and usually, the best option for them is a satellite Internet connection. How reliable an Internet connection is, will depend on multiple factors. How often do you experience internet outages? Does your Internet connection suffer downtime? In case you are experiencing technical difficulties or issues every other day, the Internet connection is not very reliable.
Speed
When it comes to speed, download, and upload speeds are crucial. Download speed is the speed by which your Internet connection can retrieve data from your computer. It has been considered a good download speed is 10 Mbps per person. However, this depends on how many devices are connected to the network in your home. For basic web surfing, email communication, or video conferencing, 10 Mbps is more than enough to get a joyous online experience. For video streaming services like Hulu and Netflix, your download speed must be higher so you can avoid any buffering.
Upload speed on the other hand refers to the speed by which you upload files on the Internet. A good upload speed is considered to be 5 Mbps. asymmetric DSL has speeds up to 1.5 Mbps, while cable Internet offers deals with upload speeds from 5 Mbps to 50 Mbps. For most of your online activities, an upload speed of 1.5 Mbps is more than enough for a proper online experience. If you use your home network to work from home, you will need a better Internet deal that will offer between 25 and 50 Mbps. For those who need fast upload speed, the best option is to have a fiber connection if it’s available in your area.
Type of Connection
The type of connection will influence how fast your browsing experience will be. Satellite Internet is very slow even though it has a 25 Mbps download speed. When determining which type of Internet connection and speed is right for you, it’s crucial to understand the differences between each connection.
Wi-Fi Hotspots
Wi-Fi Hotspots are sites over WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network that offers Internet access via a router. This allows the electronic devices to connect to the Internet and exchange data wirelessly.
Broadband Connection
A broadband is a high-speed Internet connection that is provided via telephone or cable companies. It’s one of the fastest options and uses multiple data channels. The term broadband refers to broad bandwidth and it includes connections like DSL.
DSL
DSL – Digital Subscriber Line is a service rendered to your home via a landline telephone. Customers can make calls while being on the Internet. It uses a 2-wire copper telephone line that is connected to the phone.
Cable Internet Connection
Cable internet is a type of broadband connection with the use of a modem. The users can access the Internet via cable TV lines. The type of connection is pretty fast and it’s a great option for many people.
Satellite Internet Connection
In certain areas where a broadband connection is not available, all you can have is a satellite Internet connection. It’s similar to wireless access because it uses a modem. However, it’s an affordable and good options for people living in the rural areas because sometimes it’s the only type of Internet connection.
