Services with well-organized content areas are an attractive option for computer novices because they have simple menus and other helpful navigational aids. The national providers compete with thousands of local and regional ISPs that provide clean, simple gateways to the Internet. These ISPs may offer a faster link to the Internet for a lower price, along with better customer service. But their home pages lack the organized content that some users have come to expect. The best advice is to completely check out an IT service provider before signing on the dotted line.
Some online companies offer a one-month free trial period to new users.
Switching between providers can be expensive and troublesome, especially if the provider hosts your e-mail account. E-mail addresses are not portable, and Internet providers are under no obligation to forward your mail to a new address. Notifying friends and business associates of your new e-mail address is a horror. To order a complete version of this, or other publications offered by the NCSC, click here .