Getting On The Internet

 

To access the Internet from your home computer, you will first need to ensure that you have a telephone line or cable TV/telephone connection in your house.  It is through telephone or cable lines that you make the connection from your computer to the global network of computers that is called the Internet.  Once connected you can send and receive email and ‘surf’ the network of websites known as the World Wide Web (WWW).

 

You will also need a device to act as an interface between the computer and the telephone/cable line.  Devices that provide this interface are most commonly referred to as either modems (these work with a telephone line) or a router (these work with broadband services).  However, you can decide exactly what kind of device you need after you have selected what kind of Internet access you would prefer.

 

 

Choosing An Internet Service

 

Connection to the Internet is offered by many different companies – you will have seen corporations such as AOL, BT and Freeserve advertising on television, in magazines and on posters.  A company that specialises in providing Internet connections to the public is called an Internet Service Provider (I.S.P. for short).

 

Choosing which I.S.P is best for you can be confusing and bewildering.  There are a lot of companies out there offering you a lot of different packages and products, and the quality and type of service is variable.

 

The best way to start is to decide what you want out of your Internet connection.  Ask yourself a few questions, and once you know your requirements you can make a safer choice.

 

What Kind Of Questions Do I Need To Ask Myself?

 

How much will I use the Internet a month?

What time of day will I use it?

Will I just be using it for email and to read a few websites, or do I want to download large files and play online games?

How important is customer support?

Do I need an ISP that will install everything for me or am I confident to make changes to the computer myself?

Do I need web space to create my own site, and if so, how much and what do I want to do?

Do I need multiple email addresses?

And of course: How much do I really want to pay?

 

Jot down your answers to these questions so that you have a plan of what your Internet usage requirements will be.  This will help you decide if an individual ISPs packages will suit you.

 

 

Types Of Connection Available

 

Most ISP packages on offer will fall into one of the following types:

 

1. Pay-as-you-go (sometimes known as ‘free’ services)

2. Off-peak deals

3. Unmetered Access

4. Subscription

5. Broadband

 

1. Pay-As-You-Go

 

Pay-as-you-go packages work through your existing telephone line.  You will need to ensure that you have a modem installed on your computer in order to connect it to the telephone line.

 

If you only plan to use the Internet occasionally, to pick up and send a few emails and occasionally browse through some websites, and if you feel that your total usage will be only a few hours a month, then this kind of service would probably be best for you.

 

Advertisements for these kinds of services are often misleading as they bill themselves as ‘free’ services.  What this actually means is that the ISP provides you with the software on a CD or pre-installed on your computer and will give you a telephone number that you dial using your modem.  Once connected, this will allow you to surf the Internet and collect and send email without making a charge to you at all.  However, you should remember that you will be dialling up to the Internet using your telephone line, and the telephone calls via the modem will be chargeable on a per-minute basis.  Most Internet phone-calls will be at a local rate, but they can soon mount up if you use the Internet a lot.

 

Advantages: Easy to set up, free email address and web access.  CDs are often available free in supermarkets, magazines or shops.

Disadvantages: Telephone charges per minute.  Customer service is usually restricted and can be expensive with calls charged per-minute too.  Your phone will be engaged while you are connected to the Internet.

 

2. Off-Peak Deals

 

This kind of deal also connects via your telephone line so you will need a modem.

 

If you think that you will be using the Internet fairly frequently but only in the evenings and at weekends, then a lot of ISPs can offer packages that give you unlimited access to the Internet and email at off-peak times for a fixed price every month.  This means that you will pay the ISP a non-variable monthly fee, and the telephone calls made via your modem to the ISP will not be charged to your telephone bill – the ISP take care of them for you.

 

Some of these packages are offered in conjunction with BT Surftime, in which case you may find that you are paying a fee to both BT and the ISP, so watch out for that and make sure you know who you will be paying and how much.  You should not be paying more than about £10 a month for this kind of package.

 

Advantages: Again, these are usually easy to set up with freely available CDs provided that install the software and telephone numbers that you need.  You can stay on the computer as long as you like in off-peak hours and know that you are paying fixed fee.

Disadvantages: Again, customer service can be expensive and you should look closely at what is offered.  If you use the dial-up connection outside of Off-Peak hours you can find yourself paying quite high additional charges to your telephone company and/or the ISP. Your phone will be engaged while you are connected to the Internet.

 

3. Unmetered Access

 

Unmetered access is another dial-up service that operates through your telephone line.  As with the others, this will require a modem.  It is most likely that you will also require a BT telephone line in order to benefit from one of these services.

 

Unmetered access is by far the best choice if you think that you will be a very frequent user of the internet, plan to use chat-rooms, and online messageboards, but will not need to use online gaming or download large files.  It means that you pay a flat fee per month to your ISP and all your telephone calls are included in that one fee, no matter how many times you connect to the Internet that month, or how long you stay connected on each call.

 

There are things to watch out for, however.  Again, look for plans that are linked to BT Surftime and be aware that this may mean dual charges.  Be aware that many ISPs offering unmetered services have sprung up only to stop trading when they cannot make a profit.  Be aware also that some ISPs will restrict what you can do with unmetered connections – they may impose a maximum connection time, after which you are disconnected and have to redial.  They may block your access to some kinds of Internet tools such as messenger services and gaming sites.  Some ISPs can only support so many connections at a time and you may receive an engaged tone when you dial. Always read the small print.

 

In general, the best advice with regard to unmetered access is to choose a reputable company.  Usually, the ones that advertise on TV or in magazines are the safest bet.  Also you may find that some high street shops or supermarkets offer CDs with unmetered packages ready to install.  You should expect to pay about £15 a month for this kind of package.

 

Advantages: Great value for money if you want to be able to connect frequently at all times of the day.

Disadvantages: Possible restrictions on usage, danger of fly-by-night companies.  Customer support can be variable. Your phone will be engaged while you are connected to the Internet.

 

4. Subscription

 

Subscription is a service that involves your telephone line and a modem, and effectively is a premium service where you pay both for the telephone calls, but also pay per minute for connecting to the ISP itself.  Prices will vary.

 

This may sound like a rip-off, but in fact is widely used in business.  These kinds of services are usually likely to offer above-average customer support, as they have enough budget to do so.

 

Advantages: Good customer support, efficient service.

Disadvantages: Expensive. Your phone will be engaged while you are connected to the Internet.

 

5. Broadband

 

Broadband is the newest kind of service on the market.  It is a super-fast service that uses new technologies to deliver fast Internet access to private homes as well as businesses.  If you think that you will be using the Internet very frequently, and will also be downloading large files, want to use online gaming, or require speedy movement between websites, then broadband is the service that you should be considering.

 

It uses either your existing BT telephone line or your existing cable TV/telephone line and does not require any kind of dialling service.  You connect the computer to the line using a device called a router and will be permanently connected to the internet whenever the router and/or computer are switched on.  The ISP will normally provide you with a router as part of the installation package, and you will also need filters attaching to any socket that will have a telephone plugged in – this ensures that you will have no interference on your telephone line and can use it at the same time as you connect to the internet.

 

If you have an existing cable TV/phone service, and you want the superfast capabilities of broadband, then your best bet is probably to contact your cable provider and ask what deals they can offer.  Usually, if you have an existing subscription, you can add Internet access on to your package very easily, and the company will come out and install a router and the required cabling for you.  You will pay a monthly fixed fee for the connection.

 

If you do not have a pre-existing cable connection into your house, and do not want one, you can use your existing BT telephone line to receive a broadband ADSL (asynchronous digital subscriber line) service into your home.  To receive this service you will need a router to connect to your computer and filters to attach to your telephone sockets so that you can continue to receive and make telephone calls whilst also connected to the internet.  Most suppliers of ADSL will provide the software, routers and filters, but you may have to install them yourself – you need to check this when you are selecting the company you wish to order a connection from. You will pay a monthly fixed fee for the connection.

 

In both cases, be aware that there may be an initial charge to cover the supply and install of the router, filters and the cabling.  This will be in addition to the first monthly fee.  Shopping around can sometimes pay, as many companies offer promotional deals where the router and connection are free at certain times of the year.  It is also possible that you will not be able to get ADSL or Cable in your area as they both rely on you having the service available close to your home.

 

Most broadband providers will require a minimum contract period – just like mobile telephone companies.  These could require signing up for a twelve month contract at the start, so look out for companies that offer you a trial period as that allows you to be sure you have chosen the right service before committing.

 

If you do choose broadband, it would be wise to also install some virus software that will help to protect your computer – being permanently connected to the Internet can make you more vulnerable, so it is best to play safe.

 

Advantages: Great value for money if you want to be able to connect frequently, at all times of the day, and be able to enjoy fast connection speeds which enable you to download large files and view complex websites.  Your phone will not be engaged while you are connected to the Internet.

Disadvantages: There can be high initial connection charges, and you may be required to sign up to a minimum contract of up to a year.  As long as the computer is switched on you are connected to the internet, and therefore may find that you are more vulnerable to viruses.  ADSL and Cable may not be available in all areas.

 

What Else Should I Consider?

 

If you feel that it is likely you will want to create your own website, you should make sure that you choose an ISP service that offers some free web space as part of the contract.  10MB of space is usually enough space for an average website.  If you want to do anything complex, you should probably look for a service that offers more.

 

Customer support can be variable from company to company.  It is well worth reading the small print closely to see what is on offer – how much support calls cost and when it is available.  If a company only offers support via the Internet be wary – this is no good if you cannot connect in the first place!

 

Most ISPs will allow you to subscribe either by direct debit, debit card or credit card.  If the company is a reputable one that is well-known, you are not likely to be at an increased risk of fraud.  However, you should note that it is easier to quickly cancel a direct debit or a monthly debit card payment than it is to cancel a monthly credit card payment.  You may wish to bear this in mind when you choose how to pay.

 

If you need multiple email addresses so that members of your family or organisation can have individual ones, then look out for whether this is offered by the package that you choose.  Some services restrict you to one, whereas others will offer more in their basic deal.

 

And finally – always read the small print of any agreement before you pay money, and make sure that you are happy with all the terms and conditions that you are agreeing to abide by.