Get the best out of your Internet service provider
David Mallinson Some things are easier to get into than out of. Subscribing to an ISP (Internet Service Provider) is one of these things. The problem is that many people discover what they really want from an ISP only after subscribing (possibly to an unsuitable one).
Changing ISPs usually involves the inconvenience of getting a new e-mail address, cancelling debit orders and reconfiguring your computer. ItOs worth taking the time to study your options before making that leap. The biggest ISP isnOt necessarily the best. It depends on what you want out of the deal. The basic job of an ISP is to provide subscribers with a link to the Internet. They do this by buying access to the data lines that make up the Internet and giving their subscribers a phone number, a username and a password to dial in and log on.
When your modem dials the phone number, the call reaches what is known as a point of presence (POP). A POP is a stack of modems and phone lines receiving calls and connecting them to the Internet. To get Internet access for the price of a local phone call, the ISP you choose must have a POP in your area. This is usually not a problem because ISPs can set up their own POPs. This way even small ISPs can cater to people across South Africa. If an ISP is using its own POPs, it is important to ascertain what the subscriber- to-phone-line ratio is. If too many people are trying to get through on a few lines, some will be stuck with an engaged tone. There is more than just the connection to consider. ISPs provide other services too. Firstly, subscribers should get one or more mailboxes for e-mail. An Internet mailbox is like a postbox at the post office. Your e-mail accumulates in your mailbox at the ISP until you dial in to collect it. ISPs may give you many mailbox aliases, but donOt think that that means youOll get a whole row of mailboxes. Aliases are different e-mail addresses which all lead to the same mailbox. Another feature of ISP packages is personal space on the Web. Subscribers can use this to put up their own Web pages. You donOt get to choose the URL (Web address) of your Web page. It usually takes the format http://home. isp name.co.za/users/ yourname, or something similarly humdrum. If you are interested in putting up your own website, make a note of how much space the provider gives you. The standard is five megabytes, which is enough for a well- constructed home page, but not for anything fancy.
For first-time Internet users the most important issue is probably the level of technical support. If you are not a computer hotshot you will probably need to call the helpline from time to time. It is worth checking when the helpline operates. Why not call the helpline before you subscribe, just to see how long you have to wait on hold for Othe next available consultantO.
ISPs also like to offer so-called OcontentO, meaning their own Web pages with information, news stories, search engines, links to other sites and so on. While this is very considerate of them, it is not really a factor to consider when choosing an ISP. These websites are accessible to everyone, not just the subscribers. It is in the ISPOs interest to try to get as many people as possible to view their sites. Things are starting to get very competitive in the ISP arena. The competing companies are looking for different ways to add value to their packages. This has led to the proliferation of new services and strategies. For example Web-mail, which gives subscribers the ability to view their e-mail with a Web-browser from anywhere in the world, has been introduced by many ISPs.
World Online has just started a SpeechMail service. SpeechMail allows subscribers to call an 082 number and have their incoming e-mails read to them by an electronic voice, a handy service for those away from their PC for long periods. World Online also does cellphone e-mail notification. Subscribers with 082 cellphones can receive automatic SMS messages whenever mail arrives for them. M-Web recently revamped its website to include features only available to its subscribers. These include an online photo album (to put pictures up for friends to see), an online radio station, an online calendar, chat lines and discussion forums. World Online and M-Web are the two largest ISPs in South Africa. There are however many smaller ISPs about. They tend not to have the clever online features or large advertising campaigns. Instead, they use their size to try to offer a more personal service or better value for money. Metroweb for example offers 10 e-mail boxes and 100 megabytes of Web space with subscriptions, which cost less than most. An example of a support-focused ISP is a new company, The SA Internet, which has a 24-hour toll-free 086 help-line number and a single nationwide 086 dial-up number. The dial-up number automatically connects subscribers to the nearest available POP at local call rates. This is a new feature of the SAIX POP network. PlanetPastel on the other hand offers an ISP service with limited free support. By doing away with unlimited free support, it has managed to cut its subscription costs. This is a sweet deal for subscribers who are already Internet savvy and donOt need phone support. If price is your determining factor, consider Isxinet. IsxinetOs slogan is O100% free InternetO. Nothing is 100% free, as any good capitalist will tell you. So think of it rather as 100% sponsored Internet. The Ixinet dial-up program builds a little advertisement window into the top of your screen. Through that you get to watch a constant stream of adverts while you surf. There is also a small fee for an e-mail box. However, the bottom line is that with Ixinet you can get free access to the Internet.
There are other ISPs which cater for niche markets. Sangonet concentrates on NGOs and related organisations. Dorea caters for rural areas and farming communities. There are regional ISPs that focus their service on a particular area. Today your link to the Net may be just for fun, but soon it could be a vital part of your lifestyle. ISPs are not in a one-size-fits-all business, so it is worth taking the time to look for one that is going to look after you.