What kind of internet service you need? This is the first and obvious question that you need to consider. In general there are two types of connections available - Telephone Connection for Home Use and broadband Connection for Offices.

Regular Dialup: -
Modem Connection is the type of Dialup connection in which you need to call an access number provided by you ISP Provider whenever you want to connect to the internet. The maximum connection speed is limited to 56 KBPS and minimum speed is 14.4 KBPS. This type of connection is useful when only one computer is connected to the internet. While using dialup connection you can download only small files because of slow speeds, which also make it unsuitable for online gaming, video connection and multimedia. Moreover if your Dialup ISP does not support V92 technology or if you do not have a V92 modem then you will need to have two phone lines since you will not be able to use the phone to talk while you are surfing.

High Speed Dialup: -
With a high speed dialup service you can surf up to 6 times faster then regular dialup connection. Generally ISP’s which provide high speed dialup service use special software that compresses the files and images, thus reducing the size of such files, which results in faster download. The maximum speed you can get with high speed dialup is 150 KBPS. High speed dialup does not require any special kind of modem. You can use your existing modem for connection.

ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. With ISDN connection you can get 128 KBPS speed. ISDN gives speeds that are 2-3 times the speed of regular dialup. ISDN connection is used for home and small offices Maximum speed of ISDN connection is 144 KBPS and minimum speed is 56 KBPS.

DSL stands for Digital Subscribe Line which enables you to connect to the Internet without interrupting phone connection. DSL broadband connection is ON at all times. DSL connection is a cost effective option when you need broadband. With DSL internet you get minimum speed of 128 Kbps and maximum of 7.5 Mbps. Additionally, DSL does not share bandwidth with the other users of the same ISP, therefore you get consistent speeds. DSL connection is good for office use, big companies and where several computers are connected in LAN.

Cable Internet is another type of broadband internet service. Cable connection uses local cable line for broadband internet connection. Cable internet shares bandwidth with a number of users. Hence the connection speed depends on the number of users in your area that are using the cable internet service at the same time. You can get higher speeds when fewer users are online and lower speeds when more users access internet connection using same Cable Internet. With Cable Internet you get minimum speed of 64 Kbps and maximum of 20 Mbps.

You should check the following points before signing up with any ISP.

Minimum features:-: -
(1) Number of email addresses
(2) 24 Hours Technical Support
(3) POP and SMTP server address
(4) Nationwide internet access
(5) Support V92 Technology for dialup (V92 Technology enables you to receive call even when you are online)

Additional Features:-
(1) Spam Protection.
(2) Webmail
(3) Virus Protection
(4) Storage space

First of all you need to find out if the ISP service is available
in your area or not. You also need to consider how the ISP gives you
connectivity to the internet i.e. whether it is a dialup, DSL or Cable
service. Each of these will have a different impact on your internet
surfing experience.

This is also an important point you should consider when choosing an ISP. Do you get unlimited bandwidth or are there some limits? What happens if your use of the bandwidth exceeds the limit – does your ISP Provider charge you for the additional usage or does it terminate or suspend your service? In case of dialup, make sure you are dialing directly to your ISP and not to terminal server since the terminal server may be overloaded. If you are with broadband internet then make sure that your Broadband Internet Provider gives you unlimited bandwidth instead of charging you for extra for bandwidth usage.

Following things should be considered
(1) Is technical support 24 hours?
(2) Is technical support offered via a toll-free number or will it be a long distance call?
(3) Is there any extra cost for technical support?
(4) What is the duration of hold time?

Does the ISP require any special software?
Is there any extra cost for Software?
Does it support all browsers?

What modes of payment does the ISP accept?
Does the ISP notify you when they charge your credit card?
Telephone support for billing inquires.
Is there any extra charge for re-activation after your account is
closed because of any billing issue?
If they have any problem charging your credit card, do they contact
you n order to get the issue resolved?

Is it easy to contact the ISP for canceling the service?
Are there any long-term contracts and early termination fees?
Do they give any refunds if you cancel your account before your billing date?