Signing up for promotional E-mails, for instance, may mean forsaking your anonymity. Free ISP pitches often flow through a granola bar-size tool bar that sits onscreen while you surf, tracking your Web travels and stashing the data in your profile. The tool bar can be dragged anywhere onscreen but not removed. But when a U.S. News tester tried to access a pitch, the tool bar didn't respond and she was booted offline. We know who you are.
Personalized ads kick in fast.
Free ISPs also may not be a bargain for folks who require lots of tech help. 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.