Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Local companies provide Internet access
Local phone call
Local ISP will usually cost about the same (or maybe a little less!)
per month as America Online, CompuServe, Microsoft Network, or
Prodigy
Provide you with software to load onto your machine to get direct
TCP/IP Internet connection
Allow you to run Internet tools like Netscape Web browser and
e-mail tools like Pegasus or Eudora
Almost all now charge approximately $20/month for unlimited connect
time
Some Examples....
(This list last updated May 1, 1998)
Wintek Corporation,
Lafayette (primarily for business customers)
EarthLink Network,
nationwide Internet service provider (available in over 230 cities)
GTE, nationwide access via local
phone numbers
GTE offers
Internet access for Purdue students, faculty, and staff for $16.45
per month at speeds up to 28,800 (28.8K) baud. The service includes
unlimited connect time, round-the-clock toll-free technical support, a
5MByte Website, and "over 500 local dial-up numbers nationwide". For
more information, you may get a brochure from PUCC's information
center (MATH 231), or call 1-800-3NET-GTE, or visit the GTE Phone Mart
at the Tippecanoe Mall.
GTE's service is expanding to include
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology in which
users can simultaneously make standard voice calls and use their
computer to send or receive information at rates up to 50 times faster
than conventional modems
Down side of some Internet Service Providers:
(But certainly NOT those listed above :-)
Some are terribly overloaded with customers and their systems run
slowly as a result
Some have too few employees and take forever to fix problems
and answer questions
Some have almost no previous business experience, are badly
under-capitalized, and don't stay in business very long
Choosing the best Internet Service Provider for you...
- Choose an ISP that is physically close ... in case you have to
visit their office
- If you have a Macintosh, choose one that is Mac-friendly -- Most
deal predominantly with PCs
- Choose one that makes it very easy for you to load Internet
software (like Netscape, Pegasus, Eudora, telnet, ftp) onto your machine
- Choose one that makes it very easy to establish a dialup
connection (with very few busy signals during times you want to
use it)
- Sign up for no more than a month (maybe free trial month) and see
if you like the service....
Currently ISPs gaining clients as commercial services (AOL,
CompuServe, msn, Prodigy) lose them
Oct, 96 -- 30% of US households connected to Internet use ISP
Number of Internet service providers in US and Canada grew from
1447 in February 1996 to 4133 in August 1997
