When we move to a new place, we have to think about a lot of things. Starting from the important stuff like safety alarms up to the furniture and supplies. But to make a new house feel like a home, we need one important thing – the holy internet.
These days there are so many different providers and so many different Internet and TV plans, and that makes the decision of a new provider so hard.
Before choosing your next provider, you have to consider several things. Some of those are your internet needs and what type of service you want. Here are the most important things you should know about choosing the best internet provider in your area.
Determine your internet needs
To choose the right provider for your needs, you first should know what do you want in an internet plan and the speed that would be good for you.
Most people nowadays use the internet to stream music and movies, play games, upload pictures on social media and watch videos. However, others use the internet casually to read news articles and check their email. Here is the basic guideline when it comes to internet speed:
- 5Mbps to 3Mbps: This is a good speed for people who have basic online needs. With this type of internet speed, you will be able to open websites and check your email. If you want to watch videos, however, this is not the best speed for it.
- 10 Mbps to 25 Mbps: This is the perfect range for people who watch videos, stream music and check social media pictures online. If more than one person is using this internet service, it will probably be too slow to use.
- 25 Mbps to 50 Mbps: Great speed for most of the things you can do online. With this speed range, you can stream movies and music, upload large volumes of videos and images and more. It is a good speed for the whole household and it won’t be slow if everyone in your family is using the same internet at the same time.
- 50 Mbps or more: This is the best plan for those who use P2P and torrent sites, for individuals who upload volumes of video and images and for places that use a lot of different devices. This speed is not available everywhere, so you will need to check if your local area provides can offer this to you. However, some providers can offer speeds over 100Mbps to residential customers.
Different types of internet service
There are five ways to connect to the internet: cable, DSL, fiber optic, satellite, and mobile. Here is a quick overview of each type. Depending on the type you need, it will be easier for you to choose the provider that offers it.
- DSL: Digital Subscriber Line, is a type of internet connection that transmits via a telephone network. This type of internet can be really fast, the only issue is that the speed depends on your distance from the source lines. The bad weather can affect this type of connection, so if your phone lines go down during storms, the internet will go down as well. DSL requires a modem and a router.
- Cable: Cable internet is a fast type of internet, but it can go down depending on how many people are connected to the network. It’s one of the most common connection types that are connected via existing cable wires. So, if you have cable TV in your building, you can have cable internet as well. Cable internet requires a modem and a router.
- Satellite: According to different internet providers, including InternetNearMe, which offers its services in different areas, satellite internet does not require cables or wires to work, so it can be accessed everywhere, even in rural areas where fiber, cable or DSL internet is not available. Even though this type of internet is available pretty much everywhere, it’s slower and often more expensive than the rest. Satellite internet requires a satellite dish, a modem, and a router.
- Fiber optic service: Unlike cable and DSL connections, fiber optic internet utilizes light signals which are converted to digital network signals. This technology is relatively new, so it’s not available with some providers. This type of internet is really fast. And by really fast, we mean that it would take 10 seconds to download something that requires 10 minutes to be downloaded with other connection types. Fiber optic service requires optical network terminal and a router.
- Mobile Internet: mobile internet does not require any special setup. It’s usually part of your mobile plan and it’s typically connected via hotspot or portable modem. You can connect any number of other devices on the mobile internet. This is great for on-the-go usage and low data, but it’s definitely not as good as other types of connection. Mobile internet requires a mobile hotspot.
Costs
Except knowing the type of service you need and the internet speed, to choose the best provider in your area you should consider the price as well.
There are a lot of providers that offer amazing deals, but that’s only on the outside. When you get a deal too cheap to be true, it usually comes with a lot more expenses. Make sure your plan includes the extras and the equipment.
The following are usually added costs to internet plans that may not be included in the service.
- Modem router
- Installation
- Speed
- Data
- Promotions
In order to find the best internet provider in your area, you will need to do good research. Compare prices and services. If you have time, call the providers and ask for any special deals or promotions they could offer you.
Don’t be shy when it comes to asking anything that you might want to know. Ask them for any hidden costs and if your plan’s price is going to go up after some time. Remember that a lot of providers offer better prices if you get TV and Internet service at the same time.
