How to Select an Internet Plan?

The plan duration Vs modem cost. Most providers (ISP - Internet Service Provider) offer to supply the modem to you at no cost or at a reduced cost when you sign up for longer periods of time such as 2 or 3 years. If you are not inclined to sign up for longer periods then the modem will cost more so the choice is yours. It really comes down to personal preference and also to the added cost.

Plan duration Vs monthly cost. Some providers want to lock you in for 3 years if they can so to entice you they offer a discounted monthly fee for the first say 6-12 months. I suggest you check their website and do the sums. They also usually require that you have either your mobile or home phone with them to be entitled to the discount.

Getting the internet on without actually having the home phone on. We have only come across one customer who successfully managed to get the internet on without having a home phone. Providers like you to have the home phone on, if they can get away with it.

Broadband services. The broadband services available include: ADSL, ADSL2 and cable. ADSL and ADSL2 uses your phone line and both allow you to use the phone while the internet is on. ADSL2 provides high speed connectivity like cable. ADSL2 is faster but not always available in your area. ADSL is usually available everywhere. For your initial needs you could opt for ADSL.

Connection fee. Some providers charge a setup/connection fee but waive it when you sign up for 2 years.

Modem. To avoid the need to run cables from your computer to your modem you can opt to order a wireless modem. Additional charges may apply.

Internet connection speed and download. To choose a connection you must consider what your usage will be. Based on 1-2 hours of internet surfing (and emails) per day then a download limit of 400MB will be sufficient. If you are going to be downloading (or viewing -it's all the same) movies/music/games and the likes then you will need a much bigger download limit like 2000MB (2GB). As for the speed -this relates in part to how much you are using the internet and what for. If you are doing a lot of downloading then you need a faster speed so downloading does not take too long. If you are happy with a website display time (on your screen) of approx 5-15 seconds then a download speed of 512Mbps will suffice. The upload limit is not terribly important so 128Mbps will do (it can be important if you are sending lots of large emails (attachments) or on peer to peer networking.

In summary you need:

* A download limit of 400MB and
* A speed of 128/512Kbps

This selection will help to keep your costs down. If you feel you need more speed or download then make enquiries accordingly.

See link below for further information on choosing an internet plan.

For further considerations see here Choosing an internet plan.