Internet Service Providers


You need a modem, 56 k.

If all you want is e-mail, get yourself an e-mail account at the college, or ask one of your instructors to do so.  Free.

If you also want access to the World Wide Web, you need to pay an ISP (Internet Service Provider) about $20 a month, at current rates.  Pick one with a local access number (i.e., one that services your area code) and pick one that gives you an unlimited number of hours for access (unless you know for sure that you will never be online for more than, say, 30 hours a month and therefore will not be charged many dollars for overtime).

Connect to the list
Click on Area code.  Find all ISPs servicing your area code, compare prices and services.

Currently, we recommend AT&T WorldNet, ibm.net, idt.net, mindspring.

Also check out the following links (from PC Magazine, 4/20/99, p.98):

  • ISP Finder -- incl. ISPs listed by area code, ten questions to ask your ISP
  • Internet User -- incl. ISP Survival Guide, ISP Info for Road Warriors, etc.
  • ISPcheck -- incl. glossary and checklist to help select the right ISP
  • Online Connection -- reviews, profiles, resources

    • If you travel much, you may want aol.com -- it has probably the most local access numbers in the country but a high call failure rate.

    For faster Internet connections at home, you may want to consider
  • a cable modem (about $40 per month).  It is 13 to 29 times faster than a V.90 modem.  (See PC Magazine, 4/20/99, p.158ff.)

    • In New York, check out
    @Home -- tel. 650 569-5000, http://www.home.net/home
    Optimum Online -- For Cablevsion customers; tel. your cable TV supplier, http://www.optimumonline.com
     
  • DSL - digital subscriber line (slower & more expensive), but already available in NYC, e.g., from

    • Bell Atlantic -- tel. 877 525-2375, http://www.bellatlantic.com/adsl/
    UUnet (an MCI WorldCom company) -- tel. 800 488-6383, http://www.us.uunet/
     

    If you have no computer but you own a TV, you can use WebTV Classic ($19.95 a month) or Web TV Plus ($24.95 a month).  This requires an internet terminal, a box on top of your TV, either Classic ($100) or Plus ($200).  To do e-mail, you also need a wireless keyboard ($50).
  • Microsoft Corp. -- tel. 800 469-3288, http://www.webtv.com

    • Hoffmann, April 1999
    Homepage, Index to our pages