ISPs in the US are numerous; choose carefully. They vary in terms of services provided and expense. Plan ahead for your business' expansion; switching Internet service providers in the USA can lead to unnecessary downtime and misuse your employee resources.

For many companies, Internet activity is critical to their business' smooth functioning. Buy the best service you can afford. Because your business depends on the Internet functioning correctly, the service must be highly reliable. Low reliability could lead to difficulties, which reflect poorly on your overall business.

1. Select from dependable ISPs in the United States who will likely be around a long time. Although you can never be certain, name brands are a good place to begin.

2. Determine how tightly you will integrate the Internet into your business. The more important your Internet presence, the more vital is personal customer service when choosing ISPs by US State.

3. List what business mission-critical Internet requirements you need from ISPs in the USA. Ask yourself how much bandwidth you and your customers need, what site up-time guarantee you need and whether you need turn-key feature installations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get DSL service from US ISPs

DSL may be a reliable solution from your business' United States Internet service providers because it is not sensitive to usage levels. DSL costs more than dial-up, but is competitive with cable.

I recommend: Marchex, Inc. offers a list of DSL ISPs by US State. DSL Broker provides a search by your business' phone number for DSL small business Internet service.

Use cable service for high-speed ISPs in the US

Cable service offers connection speeds comparable to DSL. In some cases, it's faster than DSL but may not be as reliable. Cable also has slower upload speeds than DSL, which might be a problem if you or your clients need to upload large files, such as video.

I recommend: Comcast, which Buytelco features, is one of many Internet providers in the United States offering cable Internet service. Broadbandinfo.com is a resource for researching cable ISPs in the United States.

Consider a T1 connection from ISPs in the United States

T1 lines can provide high-speed and high-bandwidth Internet connections for businesses. They may cost more, but they do provide dependable speed and service.

I recommend: PK Consulting, Inc. provides an online form to get T1 service quotes. An alternate source of quotes is SolveForce.com.

Consider satellite ISPs in the US

Many U.S. businesses find themselves in rural areas where there may be no DSL or cable providers. Even some suburban areas might lack good coverage by such services. Some Internet service providers in us cities offer satellite Internet, which is just as fast as DSL and cable. One disadvantage is that bad weather can sometimes degrade satellite reception.

I recommend: Direcway, recommended by EverythingDSL, and DirecTV are Internet service providers in the United States.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for US ISPs with unlimited email accounts.
• •  Select an Internet service provider in the United States with 24/7 customer support.