Looking for a new ISP -- any recommendations?

[Eloriel]

I did ask this question once before, and here's that original thread and some of the links posted:

Need a new ISP -- can no longer recommend Earthlink. Ideas?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=1589394

THE LIST (ISPs) http://www.thelist.com/
GA ISPs http://www.thelist.com/areacode/770/

ISP Ranks
http://www.isprank.com/Search.html?ServiceType=2&Cost=20&AreaCode=770&State=GA

INDIVIDUAL ISP: LANSET http://www.lanset.com/
INDIVIDUAL ISP: FastQ: http://fastq.com/resindex.php

GA ISPs by city - VERY extensive
http://georgia.findanisp.com/


BUT, I would still like personal recommendations for and against. BTW, I ended up going with redjellyfish.net, and have not been that happy (which is why I want to change -- I also think I can do better price-wise than $17.95/mo. with no accelerator.

I was seriously thinking of netzero until someone on another thread dissed it (without explanation) AND I saw Dennis Miller doing a commercial for them. I haven't done a complete study of the above links, but I did a quick peak at the GA ISPs link and found some VERY good prices -- $7.95 + $4 w/accelerator for unlimited usage?

Recommendations? Warnings? Other comments?

[welshTerrier2]

1. netscape ??

you might want to check these guys out ... i've seen their commercials but can't vouch for them ...

http://www.getnetscape.com/default.jsp?promo=NS_2_5_7_2005_01_60

they offer a one month free trial so nothing to lose ...

hope this helps ... let us know what you decide to do ...

[Eloriel]

2. Thanks -- will do

in both cases.

[2Design]

3. I use peoplepc and I am happy with them

and if you decide on them - I can send your email address to them and it gives me a credit - you would need to pm me

I switch from msn - they are 10.95 month and some free month or lower monthly

http://www.peoplepc.com

[idiosyncratic]

4. I've been happy with www.intergate.com at $9.95 /mo.

In almost a year with them, I've rarely had a busy signal . . . maybe half a dozen times.

You can have as many as 100 email addresses with them and you have quite a bit of server space for your web site . . . or for storing images you want to post here on DU.

[Gin]

5. I am using Peoplepc now and was an AOL user for a long time

I downloaded netscape for a trial to compare and they added the accelorator (I didn't want it) and now if I don't want it..I have to call and cancel...that ticked me off.

I knew I would have to cancel the montly fee...but since I didnt request the add on...that turned me off...also their tech support is 10.00 per call....people pc is 1.95 per minute.

I use a dial up and liked the features of AOL...not the price....so I switched.

People pc had a special deal which I took for 4 months...now I can pay for 6 months at 9.95 instead of the 10.95. So...I am staying with them until I can justify spending the money for dsl.

I also downloaded firefox as my browser to surf but my peoplepc still shows IE. Nothing else does though. So far so good.

[idiosyncratic]

6. Technical support at Intergate.com, if you need it, is FREE!!

At least it was when I signed up and I have never received an email stating any changes in their policies.

They bill my credit card automatically every month, so the service is painless . . . and reliable.

While you are trying out new browsers, give Opera a try. It is more sophisticated, IMHO, than Firefox.

[RandomUser]

7. Reading over your email problem in that thread

I would suggest also getting a free web-based third party email service like google's Gmail. This would allow you to easily switch ISPs now or in the future w/o penalty, instead of having your email address tied to your ISP.

If you dislike using a webbased interface -- some third party services, such as Gmail, allow forwarding. So you can give out your third party email address (you would need to give out a new address anyway, since you're leaving your old ISP mailbox), and have it forward to your new ISP email address. So whenever you change ISPs again, you would just have to change where your mail is forwarded to, instead of notifying your contact list of another email change.

But the webbased interface should be more than sufficient for most things. Some of these third party email services also allow POP, so that you can use a mail client interface like Outlook, Thunderbird, Eudora, etc.

I would recommend GMail since it's free, webbased interface, has both POP and email forwarding, email search functions and spam filters, and is generous with disk space.

Good luck with your ISP search, regardless of whether you wish to move to a webbased thirdparty email service.

[Eloriel]

8. Update

RandomUSer -- good idea. I actually have a Yahoo account, but never use it, never remember it, and every now and then (when I do remember it) have to reactivate it, but still never use it.

Anyway, I thought I'd simply share my notes with ya'll. I haven't actually chosen yet, but my top 5 contenders are here. USAConnex may have fallen off the top contender place, tho. I tried them and we couldn't get me connected. :shrug: Not a good sign. Haven't been up to making another try of it, with them or another one, yet.

First a note to myself:

CHECK:
Email and Webmail, Webspace
Doublecheck ACCESS numbers
High Speed (acclerator option) and
Do Opera and Mozilla need extra config for that?
Unlimited access
Free 24/7 Tech Support
Techs here in U.S.
Cancellation/Termination requirements
=====================================

1 - USAConnex $12.95 with Turbo
2 emails, 5 megs space, webmail
Sales: [phone]
Support: [phone]
http://www.usaconnex.com/accessplans.html
http://www.findanisp.com/isp.php?ispid=46891&loc=citypoplist&cityid=3373
http://www.findanisp.com/isp.php?ispid=46891&loc=citypoplist&cityid=3373
LIMITATIONS: 10 minutes idle and 6 consec hours

2 - GlobalCity - Unlimited, High Speed $11.95, 5 email accts, 30meg webspace; free 24/7 phone support
Tech support -- 1 888 223 4795
http://www.globalcity.net/
ACCESS: Quite a few GA numbers.
ALREADY DOWNLOADED THE SOFTWARE.

3 - ISP.com - $12.95 w/accel -- 24-hr support, 5 emails; webmail; LOTS of access numbers;
Sales Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-888-SIGN-ISP (744-6477)
Support Phone Number: 1-866-700-3245 (Toll Free - US / Canada Only)
NOT UNLIMITED: http://www.isp.com/terms.html
http://www.isp.com/home.pl?thelist
switch: http://www.isp.com/switch.html
http://www.thelist.com/HTML/7/2395937.html
DOWNLOADED SOFTWARE ALREADY

4 - InterGate - $12.95 w/ Accel; free setup mentioning FindAnISP - TX 1-866-866-2003
Cancellation must be in writing (snailmail)
100 email accts and 100 megs webspace; webmail;
http://www.intergate.com/index.shtml
http://www.findanisp.com/isp.php?ispid=47437&loc=citypoplist&cityid=3373
lots of access numbers !! http://forms.intergate.com/system.php
support til 11:00 pm Central


5 - ISPEZ.net 1-888-303-6400
$14.95 unlimited plus $2.96 for Accel, 24/7 tech support, 5 emails, 10 meg, Webmail, etc. FREE CD WITH CONNECTION SOFTWARE
http://www.ispez.net/dialup.html
OOPS -- "Unlimited does not mean dedicated" (Note: actually, most if not all of them have this provision." In reality, "unlimited" means more like 5 or 6 consecutive hours.)

WebFavorite - $15 with acceleration
http://www.webfavorite.com/access.shtml
(This page raises questions -- some features not clear http://www.webfavorite.com/moreinfo.html )
NEW SVC SET UP INSTRUCTIONS: http://www.webfavorite.com/dial/XP-setup.html
High Speed ProblemShooting FAQ http://www.webfavorite.com/dial/hispeed/HiSpeedSupportKnowledgeBase.html
ALSO HAS 5 CONSEC HOURS LIMITATION http://www.webfavorite.com/dial-tos.html

PrismLink http://www.prismlink.net/ [phone]
Associated with PrismComputers. Free 24/7 support; $9.95 plus $4 for accelerator; CD available; Opera and Mozilla need extra configuration;
ALSO HAS THE 15-Channel Hours/day restriction

DigitalCaffeine http://www.digitalcaffeine.net/ St.Louis
24/7 Toll-free Technical Support: [phone]
Access: 7 numbers in 770 area code
Unlimited $14.95, +$4 for Accelerator, 24/7 tech support, 5 emails, webspace, etc.
Account Representative: (845)-774-2947 ext. 23 (Mon thru Fri, 9am to 5pm EST)

MyGLobalNewt - Unlimited, Accelerator, $16.95 plus $4.95 for Accel 866-571-6344
http://www.myglobalnet.net/
webmail
Accelerator (good explanation) is $4.95/month
http://myglobalnet.net/data/114/pages/purspeed.asp

GreatBarrierReef - GBR UltraExtreme $19.95
http://www.gbronline.com/home/
https://www2.gbronline.com/secure/signup/packages/
Check out TrueSwitch http://www.gbronline.com/home/trueswitch/default.asp

================================================

Internet Express - $12.49 w/accel, 5 emails, no webspace, 24/7 tech support http://www.ixpresixpres.com/
NOTE: Couldn't access it at all when I tried to go back.

***OK.com http://www.ok.com/ $14.95 includes accel -- check other details.
NOTE: Couldn't reach some pages to get more info.

***Dialtrax.net - Unlimited, 3 emails, $16.95 for accelerated; $10 setup fee
http://www.dialtrax.net/new/

LocalNet - $12.95 includes accelerator; webmail; $12 STARTUP FEE; http://www.localnet.com/access.phtml
(NOTE: COuldn't access the FAQ for Tech Support)

ISDN http://www.isdn.ws [phone]
Unlimited, $13 reg or $17.95 for Accel, 3 emails, unlimited webspace http://www.thelist.com/HTML/9/2514439.html
NOTE: Loads a little slowly. Doesn't seem to have 24/7 support by phone.

Bitlink - $9.95 plus $4 accelerator; no 24-hr tech svc; VA
http://www.findanisp.com/isp.php?ispid=48431&loc=citypoplist&cityid=3373

PlanetUSA $10.95 unlimited w/ Accel $3 more ; $9.95 setup fee; says nothing re support etc.
http://www.planetusa.net/signup.html