Opinions needed: Internet Service Providers...which one do you use??

[2bemarried]

Hi everyone!
I need your opinions. I'm being tasked with hooking up my parents new computer this weekend and they want to be able to go online. Under any other circumstance I'd just set them up with Road Runner, but I don't think they're going to use it enough to spend that kind of money. So, dial-up is the most obvious choice for them. They're also computer novices. I'm going to have to do a lot of coaching like, "don't open e-mails from people you don't know", "no opening attachments, even from friends", etc.
Here's my question:
Which ISP do you use? Do you like it? How much is it per month, for how many hours?

THANKS!!

 

[golfgal]

Our provider is our local cable company. I guess I would think that cable internet might be a better choice for them if they are novices because it is less work to hook up. YOu might be surprised at how much they end up using the computer.

Our service is unlimited hours for $35/month, but since we bundle our cable and phone through them, we get a $10/month credit. We have had this provider for 5 years or so and have NEVER had a time when they were not online, well, one day at about 3 am when they were upgrading their system.

 

[ncgolfer]

I use net-zero dial up . Its unlimited for $9.99 per month, but it is dial up and is quite slow.

 

[jennyl772003]

I don't know if they still have it, you would have to look pretty hard on the website to find it, but NetZero used to have a free service. I can't remember how many minutes though. It did have a banner ad that always stayed up, but if they really aren't going to use it much, it may be worth it to them.

 

[JudicialTyranny]

I set my dad up with his first computer 2 years ago and set him up with NetZero dial-up. After a year, I saw that he was really getting some use out of it and switched him to Verizon DSL.

(For Christmas, my brother & sisters and I chip in and pay for a year's worth of Internet access for him as a gift.)

I've had a cable modem for 2 years and I forgot how SLOW dial-up can be. It was excruciating when I tried to show him things on the web. He didn't know any different because he only ever had dial-up.

 

[2bemarried]

I set my dad up with his first computer 2 years ago and set him up with NetZero dial-up. After a year, I saw that he was really getting some use out of it and switched him to Verizon DSL.

(For Christmas, my brother & sisters and I chip in and pay for a year's worth of Internet access for him as a gift.)

I've had a cable modem for 2 years and I forgot how SLOW dial-up can be. It was excruciating when I tried to show him things on the web. He didn't know any different because he only ever had dial-up.

I looked at Verizon DSL as well. It's still an option. It all depends on how much they're willing to pay each month. I have cable and can't imagine going back to dial-up. Plus, I want them to be available via phone when I need them and not worry about them being on the computer.

 

[JudicialTyranny]

I looked at Verizon DSL as well. It's still an option. It all depends on how much they're willing to pay each month. I have cable and can't imagine going back to dial-up. Plus, I want them to be available via phone when I need them and not worry about them being on the computer.

When you have DSL, you get a filter to put on the phone line so you can use DSL and the phone at the same time. DSL runs on a different frequency (or something like that) than the telephone, so both can be used simultaneously without any intereference.