Today’s home is not complete without an Internet connection. There are more ways than ever for homeowners to bring Internet connectivity to their homes such as dial-up, DLS, cable broadband, satellite Internet, fiber optic service and wireless Internet.
• Renovation Experts - Put your home in good hands. Get FREE estimates on your project.
Wireless Internet plans are typically available from cellular service providers and incur a monthly fee for access. Some plans may limit the amount of data that can be transmitted each month, while other plans grant unlimited access for a monthly fee. Mobile Internet plans allow users to access the Internet from anywhere within a service provider’s coverage area, which will vary by provider and location.
The cost for a mobile Internet service will vary by provider, with $60 per month fees serving as a typical amount. AT&T’s “DataConnect” Plan, for example, costs $60 per month and limits usage to 5GB per month, with overage charges applying. Homeowners who elect to go with a mobile Internet plan to bring Internet connection to the home should choose a provider whose service coverage reaches the home.
Wireless Internet Service Providers, or “WISPs,” are companies that offer wireless Internet access through wirelessly enabled “hotspots” set up in certain locations. T-Mobile and Boingo are two companies that have widespread wireless hotspots found in cafes, restaurants and businesses countrywide and worldwide.
Additionally, there are WISPs providing wider-reaching wireless broadband access to users in certain cities or regions. KeyOn Communications is one wireless broadband service provider with a large presence in the Midwest in states like Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Using wireless transmitting towers, KeyOn is able to service rural areas and communities with wireless broadband, at speeds around 1 or 1.5 Mbps. The flat, treeless features of these regions are suitable for wireless service, and the “hub towers” used to send and receive wireless signals from subscribers can operate over a 10-mile radius. Subscribers are equipped with roof-mounted receivers that often resemble satellite television dishes or small, flat-panel televisions. An Ethernet cable connects the receiver to a piece of powered hardware in the home. From there, homeowners can connect directly to a computer or attach a router to continue the wireless connection throughout the home. Service costs vary, but homeowners might expect to pay $30 to $40 per month. “Our sweet spot is the rural customer who can’t get cable or DSL,” says Rory Erchul, vice president of sales and marketing for KeyOn, which currently serves about 16,000 customers across 11 states. “It’s a great option for folks who live a couple miles out of town who otherwise could only get dial-up.”
Finding the Best Service in Your Area Unfortunately, the partial lists of Internet service providers listed in this article will not apply to every reader. Even the biggest cable and telecommunications companies are usually confined to certain states or regions, which can leave homeowners unsure or uninformed of all the Internet service options in their area.
Fortunately, there are a number of Web sites offering Internet service provider finder features. Users can type in their address and/or ZIP code to get a list of local dial-up, DSL, cable and satellite Internet service providers. Some sites are more effective than others, and none of the search results should be taken at face value as service providers frequently change rates, deals and package details to keep up with the competition. Still, the search results can serve as a helpful jumping off point for homeowners looking to compare and contrast available Internet service providers.
There is no best way to bring Internet into the home, but there are plenty of options. In the end, projecting the home’s usage will often determine which service provider’s plan is best, and availability will continue to be the biggest limiting factor.
Related Articles
Related Tips
Related Videos
