Yes, Virginia, there are companies that offer free Internet service. The common definition of an ISP is a company that provides Internet access, usually for some kind of fee. The amazing part is that there are actually ISP companies that provide free Internet access. I am not just making reference to the companies that send you discs in the mail that offer you free Internet service for only 30 days. These ISPs offer free Internet service all, the not, not just for a free trial.
How can these companies afford to offer free Internet access, you ask? The answer is no great secret. Many free products are funded by a variety of advertising. A good example of this are the many sites that offer free MP3 downloads. However, as in the case of the free ISP's, these music download sites come with advertisements in the form of pop-ups. If you want free Internet service you must able to live with the advertising it comes with. It can often be annoying and a real nuisance that gets in your way when you are on the Internet. These pop-ups can also cause your computer to slow way down and even freeze up.
An additional thing to be concerned about with free ISPs is that the service may not be free in your area. Ii is necessary to have a dial-up number in your area for these to be free. There may also be a limit to the time you can spend surfing the Internet. Most free ISPs do not have the kinds of features that are available with ISPs that you pay for. Commercial ISPs work hard to come up with new features for their customers to use, but the free ISPs don't generally do this. Free ISP's may also provide connection quality that is much poorer and has many more interruptions that commercial ISP's.
If you still want an affordable ISP that has more features than a free ISP but costs less, you might already have the answer. Many of the free ISPS have other packages that offer more services at a low cost to you. This tactic of offering free Internet access has long been a way for ISPs to attract new customers. They are hopeful that a customer will like using the ISP, so that they will move to another service instead of going with a competitor.
Always remember to read the terms and conditions of your ISP before accepting the agreement. Agreeing to free Internet access can be tricky. Make sure that the ISP really is offering the free Internet access you think they are. You also want to check on other things like any time limits, other service fees or if long distance charges will apply for you to go with any ISP.
Robert Michael is the owner of Best Broadband Review which is a great place to find Broadband Links, Resources and Articles. For more information go to: <a href="http://www.bestbroadbandreview.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.bestbroadbandreview.co.uk</a>
This article has been accessed 45 times since 2005-10-14.
