InfiNet LLC of Norfolk, Va., straddles that category and the next, plus adds a twist or two of its own. In addition, InfiNet markets hosting and access services to other newspapers as a general Internet service provider, reflecting a second buyer's option. This entails contracting with a local, regional or national ISP to host your site and provide related services. The last category takes the direct route and involves hosting Internet services in-house by running the computers yourself and contracting for the Internet bandwidth. The amount of Internet bandwidth needed and what you can afford becomes a key decision.
Shoppers seek the lowest cost and highest guaranteed rate.
Remember, you buy the speed of the messages as they travel through the pipes, which are usually expressed in technical telephone terms such as ISDN, DSL, T1 or T3, and the total amount of data transferred, usually measured in gigabits. An ISDN line with 10 gigabits per month of transfer may sound like a lot of bandwidth, but it only represents about 50 downloads of a typical U.S. newspaper's text per day, and they wouldn't be very zippy downloads at that. Have the technical geeks thoroughly evaluate your current and projected use. Don't be overcome with visions of grandeur, but don't choke on the desire to save a dime. In the best of all worlds, your Internet-access supplier has two or three connections to the backbone through two or three different network companies.