11 Factors To Pick The Best and High-Speed Internet Company
The Internet can be the reason for your happiness or your frustration. It all depends on your Internet service providers. Imagining life without the Internet is impossible because you require it in literally every aspect of your life.
Choosing the right internet company is vital, but most of us find this difficult as there are many technical terms involved in the process. When it comes to selecting the perfect network provider, you have to read between the lines and see what you are getting into.
Whether you are doing this for the first time or thinking of replacing your old service provider, this article will help you through the process. Never be stressed again because of the slow speed or the never-ending buffering.
How To Pick The Internet Company?
Selecting the perfect Internet company for you can be a time-consuming task, but we have made it simple for you with this buying guide. Factors like the area you live in and the speed you require will help you compare different companies and determine which one truly is the best. Before you finalize any service, consider the below-mentioned points.
Different Types of Internet Services
It is the era of broadband connections, and you should know the difference between various types of best Internet services. Choose any type only after carefully assessing the pros and cons of that particular service.
Digital Subscriber Line
Digital Subscriber line, popularly known as DSL uses a phone line to transmit data. It is widely known for its high availability and good speeds. DSL is further divided into two categories: Asymmetric DSL and Symmetric DSL. This type of connection is stable because they provide you with a dedicated line, and you are going to have several companies to choose from.
Cable Internet
This type of Internet supports bandwidth that is 10 times faster than the telephone lines. Cable Internet too, is widely available and is extremely popular. The speed of your Internet does not have any impact because of the distance. However, the bandwidth available is shared by your neighbours who use cable Internet so it can be a problem at times of peak usage.
Satellite Internet
As the name suggests itself, satellite Internet uses signals from the satellite to transmit data. Mostly, this type of service is used in rural areas. The speed is good and competitive to DSL, but it can be majorly affected by the weather. Viasat is one of the top-rated satellite internet service providers.
Fibre Optic Service
This type of Internet is the latest and the most trendy. Fibre technology operates using light and uses cables made of thin glass or plastic fibres to transmit data. Clearly, they offer you the highest speeds which can reach up to 1000 Mbps. This is the fastest service, but it is not available in most of the parts. There are only a few companies that offer fibre optic services like AT&T, which offers reliable speeds even at peak times.
Availability of the Service
Obviously, there is no use of opting for a fibre optic service if it does not reach your household. Your locality plays a major role in deciding this factor. First of all, see what services are available around your neighbourhood and what is easily accessible. Avoid companies who have too many complications as it will end up frustrating you.
Moreover, there are several sites that let you see the availability of services in your area just by knowing your zip code. While satellite Internet companies are present literally everywhere, fibre optic services are still rare and exist in selected areas.
Refer to the people in your neighbourhood who use Internet services to know which companies work more efficiently in your area.
Since coverage regions differ from company to company, it depends entirely on your locality and how many options you will get to choose from. Do not put your blind faith in advertisements and always check for the availability of a certain package before finalizing any company.
Speed Requirements
Determine the speed that you are going to require to fulfil your needs. Start by considering your family size and how many of them are dedicated Internet users. Do you have any gamers at your home who will consume a lot of Internet? Do you require it for your office work for your house or both?
Also, if you are using streaming services like Netflix, you need higher bandwidth to see everything clearly. If you only use the Internet for social media and browsing, then packages with less bandwidth will do fine for you.
The activities you do on the Internet and the number of people using it decide your speed requirements. Of course, for a company that offers plans with adequate download and upload speeds. See to it that the bandwidth is sufficient for all the devices connected to the Internet even at the peak hours so the speed will be uniform throughout.
Plans and Contracts
Look for companies that offer a wide range of plans to choose from. One size does not fit all, and the company should understand this. If you live alone, you should not be forced to opt for too many plans for you. Some companies even customize the plans according to your needs which will save you a lot of money.
Also, carefully select the plans and read everything twice to avoid getting into traps. If you are switching from one firm to another, then see to it that you cancel your old plans. Nowadays, most of the companies do not make you sign contracts which is a great thing. Look out for Internet services that try to lock you into plans and charge a huge cancellation fee for the early termination process.
If you are still doubtful of the company, it would be better to search for other options. Moreover, if you have finalized a company, then read their terms and policies twice or more to ensure everything. Often, things that are written in the smallest fonts end up creating the biggest troubles.
Installation
After selecting the plan, you have to see the installation process. Whichever company you are choosing, make sure in advance that the procedure is not too complicated and expensive. Check if the company covers the costs of equipment or you have to pay for it separately.
Also, see to it that the technicians are provided from the company itself, and you do not have to roam around randomly to get help. Some companies attract customers by offering very low prices for packages, but the installation process is extremely expensive. To avoid this, contact the Internet service provider beforehand to know about it.
Moreover, there is no such thing as unlimited data. Be aware while you opt for such plans because there are always conditions to it. After you cross a certain data usage, the speed may slow down so pay special attention to this point.
Almost all the companies impose data caps to limit your data usage, so choose plans that allow your device to consume a considerate amount of data. Ensure that you get what you pay for.
Customer Reviews and Reliability
Narrow down a few options and then compare them by various factors. Read the customer reviews by verified users to see how their experience went with that company. Also, do not forget to check out the customer support of your chosen Internet service provider.
Customer service plays an important role because your Internet may face problems at any time of the day, which may stop your work. The support should be professional and at your service 24*7. Reliability and customer support goes hand in hand.
Imagine that you have an important meeting and your Internet goes down suddenly. Such issues occur in all companies, but they are fixed almost immediately. Look for Internet companies who will prioritize your requests and solve your matters in no time. Also, there are various authentic websites that let you check the speed you are getting at that particular moment.
Additional Features
To make your plan more exciting, Internet companies offer you additional features. Antivirus program subscriptions and ISP branded email addresses are some of them. Moreover, some service providers let you keep the equipment forever whereas the others only rent it to you until you are a subscriber of that company.
While comparing different companies, ensure that you choose a service based on download and upload speeds as it is the most important aspect. Avoid opting for long term plans even if it is available at a comparatively lower price. Along with knowing the benefits of the Internet service provider, be aware of the limitations as well.
Final Words
This was a complete buying on how to choose the best Internet company. It can be a tough task, but you can land a great deal by considering the points mentioned above. Stay away from sparkly deals and opt for reputed companies. Compare different services and choose the one which suits your best interests.
