Choosing an internet service provider (ISP) means sorting through confusing contract details, endless packages, and a lot of fine print and technical details that matter – it’s a rather tedious process. And you still can’t be totally sure about your decision. But here’s a 6-step way to avoid all that confusion.
Find ISPs in your area
Start with this because not every provider may be operating in your area. Search online as the prices, speeds, special offers, and package lineups available to you also depend on your location.
Compare everything
Once you’ve found ISPs in your location, check plans and pricing, speeds, installation and equipment costs, customer satisfaction ratings, data caps, and overage fees. While speed and prices are important, always check out customer satisfaction levels from reviews about reliability and customer service.
Understand your need for speed
Now, work out the connection speed you need. You want a fast connection, but you don’t want to overpay for something with more bandwidth than you need. Consider how often you stream movies and TV because 1080p streaming requires 5Mbps minimum, whereas 4K streaming needs at least 25Mbps. Next, work out how many devices and users will be on your home network. The more the number of people and devices, the more bandwidth you’ll need. You’ll also want to leave a little buffer so that everyone gets a decent speed over WiFi at all times. Count the number of smart devices in your house, especially things like Bluetooth security cameras that upload data continuously.
Test your speed
Now that you know how much speed you need, test your current internet speed to compare. You already understand your satisfaction levels with your current connection, and checking what its actual speed is will help you set a benchmark to compare.
Check terms before switching
If you’ll be switching from one provider to another, check the terms of your current service agreement. You could lose hundreds of dollars if you switch before your contract ends or even incur an early termination fee.
Choose your ISP
Put all that information together, and now you’ll have enough to choose the right package from an ISP. Go ahead, and enjoy your new connection.
