When I set out to compare internet providers in my area, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that high speed internet is much more affordable than I had originally thought. I found prices as low as around $20 a month, and enticing offers which included rebates, free months, and reward cards. They sure do want to sign me up for service! So which internet provider is right for me? Figuring that out was not as easy as it sounds.

First of all, I had to figure out which of the national providers advertising on television in my area was really available to me, and if all their plans were available as well. I also wanted to compare them with the cable company and local internet providers. I found a site where many companies were listed side by side with reviews and comparisons, and I was able to link from there to test availability. Most internet companies have a wizard on their website that enables you to enter your zip code and match it to their area of service. I found that only one of the nationwide companies, AT&T, was truly available to me, and that my neighborhood did not have their ultra high speed service. This meant that I was looking at comparing DSL and cable internet plans.

Then, I looked at the cost of the plans. There were some attractive bundle offers. Cable had a bundle for all three phone, internet, and television services which was really good. AT&T had a similar bundle, but for satellite television . They also had more flexible build your own bundle plans, and a gift card if we were switching from cable. The local company had month to month service. All three offered free modems, and free activation. The cable company wanted an installation fee for setting us up with cable.

Then I looked at the internet speed available, and compared it with costs. I discovered that the basic speed is really not enough for me. I need a speed that will be comfortable for videos, music downloads, and secure internet surfing. I also realized that combining services was attractive as long as it resulted in quality for telephone and television as well. The cable company offered me a possibility of a higher internet speed, good digital television, and clear telephone service. The price was really unbeatable. I had some concerns about service and interruptions, as they locally have received some bad press about how they treat customers.

The deciding factor for me was that the cable company did not want an annual contract. I figured that we could go with this, and if it was not good enough, we could cancel. I'd like that option if the technology improves and ultra high speed comes to our area. We had an option of up to 20 Mbps speed with cable, but decided to go with 10 instead as part of our bundle. In going for the bundles, cable also had a better program line up for our area than basic satellite service, which is what we would have had with AT&T. We were also able to link our computers with a home network, and got a free router.

It really was helpful to be able to see the relationship between internet speed and cost, and all the benefits of each particular plan laid out in side by side comparisons. With the plan we now have, videos and music downloads are no problem, and we can use a webcam to share videos of the kids with grandparents. We love it!