A few, like AltaVista, provide free customer service over the phone. Online help typically takes a day to arrive, and its quality varies. Rural dwellers, or frequent travelers hoping to log on anywhere, may also find that free access carries hefty long-distance charges. Most free ISPs boast a national network of phone numbers concentrated in and around major cities. EarthLink offers over 5,000.
Penny pinchers unwilling to take the free ISP plunge can still log on cheaply.
Or you can download freebies directly from the Web. FreeNSafe blocks risqu sites. World Report Inc. All rights reserved.