If you should decide to use the free internet services I would recommend you have a 17 inch monitor set to a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels or more  because they display a banner advertisement on your screen! You should also subscribe to two or more free ISP's!

I have gone to AT&T's Worldnet service, a reduced pay ISP! They display a banner ad (hardly noticeable), and charge me about $5 a month for 150 hours of usage - that equates to about 5 hours a day!

Note: It costs an average ISP (providing non DSL services) about $10 a month to provide that service! So if you pay $22 a month for 3 years ($792) to get a $400 discount you actually paid $400 too much for the services to begin with!

Well before you read my opinions below maybe you would like to look at some other sites concerning ISP's. The first one on my list is DAwn McGatneys informative (but a little messy) site! Then let me take you to a 'not so informative site', but the 'definitive' List of ISP's! Then there's a nifty guide to ISP's called the freedom list! Then if that's not enough here are more sites to look at: http://4internetservice.4anything.com/, Addlebrain.com, Internet4Free.com and http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/. The last one might be especially helpful if you considering a cable modem connection!

Internet Service Providers (ISP):

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL):

I have not utilized the DSL service providers, nor have I investigated their sites in any detail! Be sure to read their contracts before signing up!

www.freedsl.com

www.freexdsl.com

Standard 56K (Telephone connection):

Notes:

1. Not a Free Unlimited service! Up to 12 hours of use free, otherwise there is charge! If you use the free service, and run over the time usage they cut you off for the rest of the month!
2. Not a Free Unlimited service! They have the advertising system down pat! Present as many as four ads on the screen at a time! When you first go to start Juno they usually present two ads that you have to close before they will even start the connection process. It also seems that the more you use Juno, the more often the 'Pay for Juno' ad arbitrarily appears. Then if you use them too much (over 15 minutes a day) they take further actions "to encourage the heavier users of our free service to alter their usage patterns, upgrade to one of our billable services, and/or participate in other revenue-generating activities that might help us cover the higher costs they cause us to incur." (yes they snoop on you big time! this is the: actual letter they sent out)! If you want HELP and their FAQ's don't cover it then you will have to pay for it! Have yet to stay connected first time I tried, but once the connection process takes hold (usually on the second try) it seems to be good! I have had a no warning disconnect. Oh yes I almost forgot, closing the last browser window will initiate a timed (about 45 second countdown) logoff, you will need to click the Cancel button to stay connected! To get your email you have to make a different connection! Even their pay service is not ad free, but then neither is AOL's! Because of their attitude I only use them to check things out!
3. Not a Free Unlimited service - at last notice have gone to 40 hours a month free! Has been the very reliable ISP! I don't like the fact that they reposition my Browser window every time I start it up! Technical support has not been the best! Then the persistent pop up (did you see our ad) messages, and the "you get thirty seconds before we disconnect you message"! So if you leave the computer for more than thirty seconds (just try going to the potty in thirty seconds)  you may be logged off when you get back!
4. I removed Excite from my system! It was bad enough that they took the liberty to make their homepage myfreelane.excite.com my browsers default homepage, and to snoop on my activities big time! They crossed the line when they started installing other programs on my computer without my consent! Excite initially used 1stup to provide free internet access. As far as I can tell they are doing this on their own! I get cut off without notice once in a while! They do provide online help.

Email services:

All of the free ISP's provide some form of free email services! There are so many free email providers out there it's not even worth the time to mention them! If I was going to recommend an alternative email site it would be:

www.yahoo.com

One of the first great search sites, and I still use them regularly for that purpose, along with their game site, and many other services! If you don't have them as a regular site to visit, you don't know what your missing!

Web Sites:

There are more free Web site providers out there, but the only service I have chosen to list is:

www.catalog.com

Looking into this site...
If you register a Domain Name, and get the site free for life!

www.fortunecity.com

I prefer this free Web Site because it is the only one I have been able access mostly error free using FrontPage, and  FTP utilities! They currently provide you with 100 MB for your home page, and free email service!

www.Homepage.com

I really wanted to Utilize this site, but have found them not to be FrontPage friendly, or even FTP friendly! The idea of having your name added in front of homepage.com is a great idea, now if I can only get my download system(s) to work I would switch to this site!

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This page was last updated on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 .
Copyright � Richard Brackle, Internet Services 1996-2000. All rights reserved.