Nowadays, the internet has become an essential part of our daily life. Most businesses use internet connections for everything from credit card processing to customer communication. In other words, you can’t operate your business without a strong internet connection. Apart from the business needs, millions of people use internet connection as their basic source of relaxation. This is because of the majority of the video streaming services as well as social media.
Now coming back to the topic, how can you select the best ISP for your purpose? Lots of ISP are available on the market and choosing the most trusted ones is surely not an easy task. Fortunately, if you thoroughly follow the passage, then you can resolve all your queries.
Also Read: 5 Tips to Maximize Anonymity of Your Internet Connection
How to Choose the Best Internet Service Provider
You might be confused while picking up the best ISP as different Internet Service Providers offer multiple package choices and tons of fine print. Sometimes due to this, you might end up with the wrong choice. So, if you want to avoid these types of mistakes, then walk through the guide and choose the perfect ISP for you. Here are the 8 Factors to Consider while Choosing an Internet Service Provider:
1. Availability
Remember that availability is the most crucial factor in rural areas. And in case the service provider does not service your area, then the fibre connection or a high-speed cable doesn’t do any good for your business.
However, only a few homeowners or businesses users some type of broadband including Comcast Xfinity, AT & T U-Verse or 4G-LTE. However, not everybody can avail that much expenses. Hence, if you live in a rural area and want to choose the best Internet Service Provider, then rely upon a local ISP.
2. Speed
To meet the project before the deadline, you always want to make sure that you have enough internet speed. Moreover, for some businesses, speed is the most crucial aspect while they are searching for an Internet Service Provider. So, these are the questions you must ask before picking up an Internet Service Provider.
How much Streaming Speed do you require for TV and Movies?
For good performance, 1080p streaming video needs near about 5Mbps. On the other hand, 4K streaming video required at least 25Mbps.
The number of smart devices you can connect to the Internet?
This is the most important question that you must ask yourself while considering the speed of your Internet. Many businesses need to connect multiple devices at the same time and if you are running these types of businesses, you can’t neglect this factor.
Also Read: What is an Internet Service Provider?
3. Cost
Remember that, you will be known as a smart user only when you will maintain a good balance between the internet speed and price. Let’s take an example, in case you run a business out of your house and your capital is $1000, then a dedicated fibre connection will be too costly for you.
However, for some organizations cost doesn’t matter as compared to the reliability and speed. Still, if you are running a startup, then we advise you to inspect your business cost and on the basis of that select your Internet Service Provider.
4. Consider the Uptime and Downtime
Most of the Internet Service Providers promise a near-perfect downtime (generally 98%), however, it’s not true for all the time. That’s where you must make a Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Hence, if the uptime doesn’t meet your criteria, then by using the Service Level Agreement, you can get a discount and even can cancel the termination.
5. Contract Length
This is one of the biggest questions that you must ask yourself. Generally, the average Internet Service Provider contract length is 2 years. Though many times this contract length can be fruitful for you.
However, sometimes this can harm your money as occasionally, you might have to pay termination fees that can be costly. Hence, it’s highly recommended to thoroughly check the contract length before making an agreement.
Also Read: What’s the Future of Internet Service Providers
6. Test the Internet Speed
Hope, till now you got a clear idea about what internet speed you require for your business or entertainment. Now it’s time to test the current internet connection.
You probably already have an idea of how you are satisfied with your current connection. However, if you test your current internet connection, then surely you will understand why you should switch to another ISP. And on that judgment, you can pick up the most suitable ISP for you.
7. If you are a Switching Customer
In case, you want to switch from one ISP to another in the middle of the agreement, you must inspect the service terms and conditions. Sometimes, if you break the contract before ending, then this might spend your hundreds of dollars as an Early Termination Fees (ETFs). Therefore, you should check the contract length first and if everything is OK, then only switch to another ISP.
8. Check the Fine Print
Apart from contract-length and SLAs terms, the fine print also includes certain Terms of Services (TOS) that covers the rules on how you will be allowed to use the ISP’s bandwidth or data.
Therefore, we suggest you, carefully read these guidelines as negligence might affect your business performance.
Conclusion
The Internet Service Provider selection is probably the most crucial decision associate to your business or home connectivity. Fortunately, this guide will shed some lights on the multiple factors that will play a vital role while making the decision.
