Seeking guidance on finding the ideal Internet Service Provider? As I embark on the search for the best provider for my needs, I’m eager to hear about your experiences, tips, and factors you considered when making your decision. Let’s collaborate and empower each other in making informed choices for a seamless online experience!

10 Spice ups

You call CommQuotes! We partner with hundreds of ISPs globally and have access to better pricing and support channels than going direct. We also have various tools at our fingertips to determine which ISP(s) are best based on exact location and needs… not to mention thousands of installs under our belt so we know the good, bad and ugly about all providers and can make agnostic recommendations based on the specific use case and requirements.

We’ve helped thousands of spiceheads navigate these waters, happy to help you too.

Shoot a PM or request help on our website: Spiceworks & CommQuotes - Best Cloud, IT, & Telecom Services

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You may want to shoot a note to @phil-commquotes

I have had good experiences using companies like CommQuotes. We realized the benefits Phil talked about,

Depending on your needs, I would look into Synchronous Dedicated Internet Access because of the quality of the service usually beats asynchronous services.

Customer references are a good way to balance sales pitch vs reality. Ask your peers in your area about their experiences.

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Where are you located ?

Home or Enterprise "?

What are your requirements & budget ?

Business scenario?

You start by defning requirements (now and medium future term).

  • bandwith and speed - think usage (user nummbers and technical like genral browsing or voic
  • service - what SLA do you need. can you be down for 2 hours, a day etc?
  • technical service - wires only or fully managed

Then you can approach ISPs direct or use MSP.

The following is based on 17 years of consulting for small businesses.

  • Stay away from brokers, based on my experience they care more about the monthly commission then the quality of your service. Also I have had issues with troubleshooting with brokered lines. Lots of finger pointing.
  • When you can stay away from AT&T there after install support is poor.
  • Get a business not a home connection.
  • Get to know the local ISPs is the best practice

Everyone here so far has made good points of figuring out what you need (required) before looking for a provider. Contacting like CommQuotes or similar companies is a very good idea. You may not know what is available right outside your office. These companies do and work with multiple providers.

For the most part, I’m speaking mainly fiber services, but the same principals would follow any provider.

One item I’d add is to fully research any provider your thinking of choosing. Also ask them for local references so you can follow up on their services used by other, and locally is important. I have locations with the big “C” company. A lot of folks like them, here where I am their service is horrible. Being in a rural area I don’t have much of any other “real” choices. And when speaking with other references, make sure you specifically ask about the same services you intend to purchase. In another example, if you would ask me about company “S”, I’d say a bit pricey, but basic internet access is extremely reliable, not a drop in 8 years. However if you asked me about their SIP services, or support, I’d tell you they can’t setup SIP channels to work reliably in their datacenter. Purchase your SIP channels elsewhere and you will be fine. And support, it’s always your problem, figure it out yourself when something isn’t working.

So my point here is to do your homework on the provider. Getting fiber lateral or redundant ring connections are expensive in the rural areas, and in some cases your making a long term investment.

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Choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) can be overwhelming, but don’t worry! First, think about how fast you need your internet to be. Consider your online activities, like surfing the web or playing games. It will help you find an ISP to keep up with your online activities. Next, think about reliability. Some ISPs might not be there for you when you need them. Read reviews and ask others about an ISP’s reputation for being dependable. You want the internet during an important video call or while watching your favourite show.