|
Customer Service
Setting up your computer for a new Internet Service Provider can range from
straightforward to daunting, depending on your level of expertise. If you're new
to the Internet, you should definitely look for an ISP that will be there to
help you get things working. Many offer free software that will automatically
configure your computer to work with their service.
Customer service doesn't end once you're up and running. The Internet is much
more reliable than it was in the past, but problems do still occur. Does your
ISP have a 24-hour support line that you can call? Do they have the answers to
your questions when you call?
Remember, don't feel bad because you can't figure out all of the details of
connecting to the Internet. The system was never designed with consumers in
mind, and it is the ISP's job to bridge that gap. That's what you're paying them
for -- access to the Internet.
Size
ISPs vary in size from small one- or two-person operations to giant corporations
providing service across the country or allover the world. Most ISPs, however are
quite small.
The ISPs with the most aggressive pricing are usually small ISPs. Some small
ISPs also offer excellent service and very personal support, but that is not
uniformly the case. On the other hand, small ISPs may experience significant
growing pains, and are much more likely to go out of business than a larger ISP.
Large ISPs are generally more stable and better able to manage their growth.
They usually have highly experienced personnel designing and building their
network infrastructure. On the other hand, their prices may be somewhat higher
and they may be less responsive to your particular needs. Of course, If you
travel frequently and need to access your e-mail while on the road, a large
national ISP is probably best for you.
Reliability
There is nothing more annoying than dialing your ISP and continually receiving a
busy signal. Or you may connect but be unable to do any useful work because of
interminable delays. These problems usually do not persist for long, but they are
definitely more common at some ISPs than at others. Unfortunately, this kind of
reliability is hard to measure.
Performance
The actual speed you experience when using the Internet depends on many factors.
The ISP may have insufficient Internet bandwidth to support all
of the users who log on (this is like an airline overbooking an aircraft -- good
for them, bad for you). The Web server (or e-mail server) that you are
connecting to may be unable to handle the volume of traffic that it is
experiencing (often true at popular sites). Or the problem may lie in the path
between you and the server through the Internet (round-trip times can vary from
a few hundredths of a second to several seconds).
Many of these problems are beyond the ISP's control, but you will still find
that some ISPs generally offer better performance than others.
Price
in general
The bottom line price is obviously an important factor when choosing an Internet Service
Provider. It is also easy to compare. But the lowest price isn't always the best
deal. If the price seems to be significantly below the going rate, then
something about the service is probably below the industry average also.
If the thought of choosing an Internet service provider (ISP) or of switching to
a new one fills you with dread, don't worry--you aren't alone. As more and more
ISPs crop up and the options gets increasingly complicated, not to mention
competitive, the supposedly simple task of getting on the Internet takes on a
new dimension. Follow this guide to avoid any pitfalls and to find out what you
need. Arm yourself with these basic questions and information on national ISPs,
designed to set you firmly on the path to successful surfing.
locally we have two types of subscriptions:
-
Volume-base
subscription: Here the user may pay monthly subscription that cover some free
hours then pay per usage an amount fro each extra hour used.
-
Open subscription:
Here the user pay fixed amount per month regardless of the usage.
Note: this does not include the cost for the
telephone connection which is paid to the STC per usage.
Quality of service
Quality of
service depends on many factors, such as:
-
The ratio between
number of modem ports to the number of subscribers
-
The total bandwidth to the Internet
-
How easily and
quickly to get connected to the ISP network
-
How frequent a user
get disconnected from the ISP network
-
How good ISP's
communications and services devices
Technical support
Quality of
service depends on many factors, such as:
-
Working hours
-
Number of telephone
lines
-
Type of
communications (by email, telephone, dial-free telephone, fax, web, …)
-
Availability of user
manuals and FAQs
-
Solving problems
online
-
Availability of
competent technical staff
|
