Ask that nice man...

What should I ask my Internet Service Provider
before
I give them my credit card number?

The following is for your general education and background use. It is not recommended that you call each prospective ISP, read them these questions, and demand answers.

(At least, if you do, please don't tell them that That Nice Man prompted your inquisition.)

 

 

 For absolutely best results, borrow a connection from a friend, a local library, or an Internet Coffeehouse and browse to the ISP's web site and do your advance research there. The sales people probably won't know much that isn't already posted there.
How much do they charge per month for unlimited access?
$20 per month is typical; paying more should buy you enhanced support, and more space for your Web page. Modest charges for account setup and software are standard practice, but they are often waived. Offers for bargain-priced connectivity are common, but require careful scrutiny.
How much hard disk space are you allowed to use for your files on their server?
20 Mb is adequate for most users. Smaller allocations are common on discount ISPs.
How good is their connection to the Internet?
They'll probably brag about having multiple T-3 lines, and being only one "hop" away from the backbone. Say "hmmm." Comparing connectivity speeds is virtually impossible for the user, but you might as well ask anyway. You can read computer magazines for comparitive ratings of major providers if you really care
How many subscribers do they have, on average, per modem?
Less than 10 is impressive. More than 20 means you should expect occasional busy signals when you call in.
What kinds of high-speed access do they offer?
Ideally they should offer both Flex56 and X2 options for 56k connections. Ideally they should also offer ISDN connections at a reasonable price. But what really matters most is if they support the specific kind of modem that you already have, if you have one.
How many hours per week is their tech-support phone line staffed, and do they consider themselves to be "newbie-friendly"?
Genuinely friendly, 24x7 support is rare, and usually costs extra one way or another. If you need it, it's worth it.
What is the address of the ISP's own Web site, and what will you find there?
If possible, visit it before you subscribe. It should have lots of useful information, including the answer to ALL these questions, plus shareware, FAQ files, and other stuff that will come in handy in the future.
How much storage space do they use for their newsgroup spool? How many newsgroups do they carry?  Do they censor the selection?
Under 2 Gb storage, or less than 10,000 newsgroups, suggests a stingy ISP. Censorship is... well, that's up to you. I certainly wouldn't accept it.
Do they offer an IRC server for their subscribers' use?
This is a very nice feature if you plan to do much chatting, but it is not essential.
Do they offer any other special subscriber services, such as an CU-SeeMe reflector or special content pages?
Value added content is a big thing for competitive ISPs, but you really shouldn't pay much extra for content -- there is just so much free out on the Internet.
What is their procedure for logging you off due to inactivity?
No ISP wants you stay on-line continuously, unless you pay for "dedicated" access. Automatic disconnects after just ten minutes of idleness is too strict, in my opinion.
Do they have any active incoming or outgoing blocks on e-mail from/to other major domains?
Blocks by or against Prodigy or EarthNet are not uncommon. Long-term ongoing blocks are a nuisance to user and may suggest indifferent management policies.
Are there any special terms or features.?
Be sure to check for surprizes when dealing with discount servers. Some may require you to use only a prioprietary interface that forces you to view their advertisements. Others require a two-year commitment or other burdensome contract terms. Of course, your potential server may also have surprizing positive features too.

If you think you might someday want to create your own Web page, here are some additional questions:
What kinds of web hosting "packages" do they offer in your price range?
A typical $20 /month package might include 20 Mb storage and 2Gb of transfers/month. Policies vary widely, but flexibility in pricing is a good sign.
Do they limit or censor the material you can place on your page?
Please do not be embarrassed to ask this. Prohibitions against illegal activity are universal. Prohibitions against posting adult material are depressingly common, and should be fully understood by the subscriber in advance.
Can they will help you register and administer your private domain name?
A small fee paid to the ISP is normal, in addition to your $50/year payment to InterNIC.
Do they have friendly policies to help you cope with an overly-popular site?
Unfriendly: they bump you up to the next-higher level of service, and start charging you $200/month instead of $20. Friendly: browsers will see only your text-only OVERLIMIT.HTML page until you get your next bandwidth quota installment.
Do they support Front Page extensions?
Some ISPs refuse, for various reasons, to support the Microsoft Front Page extensions on their server.  If you don't plan to use Front Page to author and maintain your Web site, you probably don't care.  If you do use Front Page, you will be frustrated if your ISP doesn't include support.
Do they offer a library of cgi files?   Do they have a RealAudio or streaming video server?  Do they offer e-commerce support at a reasonable cost?  Do they offer any other special features or services to allow you to make your site more interesting?
Premium Web hosting ISPs should earn their premium rates.  But if you plan to take advantage of these advanced services anytime soon, you probably don't need to be reading this help page!

Things your ISP should tell you
after
you give them your credit card number