Your home PC will come pre-configured for at least one ISP. All you need to do is enter your credit card numbers and call. While this is the easiest way to get online, it does not guarantee value for money so consider a different ISP. You can call the company concerned and ask them to send you a CD or you may find free CD with computer/Internet magazines and in computer stores such as PC World

Many ISPs offer Web space, to host and maintain your own Web pages. There's often a free allocation of between 1Mb and 5Mb. The level of email support also varies from service to service. Some allocate you a single user name, others let you have as many as you like. Daily news, themed areas and internal chat areas are often included

Finally, the best way of choosing an ISP is to ask an exiting user for their comments on the quality of the service and technical support. Note! technical support can range from 50p to £1.00 per minute. AOL technical support is currently free.

Below are the types of internet access you can subscribe to. Check with your ISP.

1 - No subscription (pay as you go) services

2 - Unmetered off-peak access

3 - Unmetered 24/7 access

4 - Completely free providers

5 - Top ISP's

Research Exercise:

ex1 - Research Exercise