Internet

In today's high-paced digital world, it's essential to have internet access to your new home right away. There are many options for internet access:

56K dial-up: For those on a tight budget, 56K dial-up modem service is the cheapest way to get on the internet. Of course, you get what you pay for: it's slow, it uses your telephone line while you're using it, and you have to dial up whenever you want to connect. We only recommend this as a last resort.

Cable Modem: Depending on the area, your local cable provider may offer broadband access through cable modem. The benefits of cable modems are that they are generally reasonably priced (~$40/month) and may be less expensive if you also are getting cable television service. They also provide "always on" service. The downside of a cable modem is that you're sharing bandwidth with your neighbors and so the service can vary depending on how good the infrastructure is in your neighborhood. Some neighborhoods have newer fiber optic lines that provide more than enough bandwidth for everybody. Ask around.

DSL: DSL is a technology that allows you to receive high-speed internet access through your existing phone line, but it does not interfere with your telephone service and it's salso "always on". Your home must be within a certain distance of the neighborhood switch and you can check availability at the website of your telephone company. It is common for the telephone company to offer DSL in different packages where you can pay more to have higher bandwidth. One caveat, some telephone companies require you to have telephone service in order to get DSL. Some companies may relax that requirement if you get the higher bandwidth package.

Satellite: In many areas, especially in rural or remote locations, cable and DSL may not be options. Luckily, there are satellite services like DirecWay that offer broadband access to satellite dishes. These plans are significantly more expensive that Cable or DSL, but they may be a last resort.

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