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most people unless you use a satellite television service such as DirecTV. If you do use DirecTV, you will want to do a price comparison to see how competitive your cable ISP pricing is.

WIRELESS:

Many people picture wireless access as people sitting in a coffee shop sipping a latte while browsing the internet. However, the access this report covers is the wifi service provided by most cellular and long-distance companies. This type of wireless high-speed access generally runs about $60/month and enables you to connect to the internet from almost anywhere.

This is not a very high-speed connection (about 1/2 - 1/4 the speed of DSL and/or Cable), and is more expensive than similar plans, but it will allow you to be truly mobile in your computing while you remain within most urbanized areas. You should only consider paying for this type of service if you travel a lot and the places you stay when traveling do not have wireless access for their clients.

SATELLITE:

Satellite connectivity is the internet connection of last resort. Though prices have dropped considerably due to competition from wireless internet providers, it remains one of the most expensive ways to connect to the internet.

The principle advantage of a satellite connection is that it can work from nearly everywhere in the world. Only above the Arctic Circle or below the Antarctic Circle will service be unavailable. If you live in a rural area where even dial-up access is unreliable, or if you live in a country where other services are unavailable, satellite may be the only solution. The largest disadvantage (other than cost) is the latency in communications. Because of the 1/2 second delay in all transmissions, applications that depend on low latency (or lag) may not work via satellite.

SUMMARY:

There are plans available to connect just about anyone to the internet. In evaluating these plans, you should consider what your actual requirements for the internet are. If price is the largest concern, then you should investigate ADSL, Cable and/or dial-up connectivity. If mobility is a concern, then look towards a wireless or dial-up connection. When you choose your plan, make sure it can meet your needs.

Learn more about this author, Alan Fernald.
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