Although the practice of long distance charges is disappearing in many rural areas, residents of some remote communities must still place a toll call to connect to the Internet. Users can avoid this expensive arrangement by having a local number to dial into their account, even if they are visiting areas away from home. Another price consideration is the amount of time you expect to spend online. Most providers offer unlimited service for a set fee. But an affordable monthly allotment, if available, may be preferable if you expect to spend a limited amount of time online.
Speed is a major issue in selecting a service.
Regardless of the type of modem used, the Internet provider's connection to the Internet should be T-1 line or greater. Another factor is the ratio of phone lines to customers. The number of lines per user should be sufficient to avoid a busy signal during peak hours. Make an evaluation by repeatedly calling the provider's modem number on weekdays between 7 and 10 p.m. and awaiting a modem tone. Encountering a busy signal with any frequency means that the provider has too few lines.