Learning more about prepaid Internet service basics is a great way to obtain reliable Internet connections while saving money on connection costs. In addition, the flexibility and reliability of prepaid Internet service makes it a great choice for users who don't have unlimited Internet access.

On average, standard Internet service providers charge $15 to $50 per month depending upon the type of Internet service you receive. In comparison, prepaid Internet service can cost 40 cents per minute or less depending upon rates offered by your prepaid ISP. Consider the following tips to help you learn more about prepaid Internet service basics:

1. Read more on how you can use a prepaid Internet card while traveling.

2. Learn more about how prepaid Internet service is an inexpensive way to connect to the Internet.

3. Research how you can use prepaid Internet service can be used as a backup to other Internet connections.

Action Steps
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Travel with prepaid Internet service

Some hotels charge as much as $10 to $15 daily for Internet service no matter how long users are connected to the Internet. This is quite expensive for business travelers who only need about 15 minutes to check emails and send a few messages. With prepaid mobile Internet service, you can access your purchased minutes anytime and from nearly any location.

I recommend: Check out ISP-Planet to read more about prepaid Internet service. You can also read EasyCall Communications to learn more about affordable pricing options of prepaid Internet access while traveling.

Pay for what you use with prepaid Internet service

Prepaid Internet service works similar to prepaid phone cards in that users only pay for the time they use. With prepaid Internet access, you can use your purchased minutes anytime and prepaid Internet service providers don't require contracts or monthly payment obligations.

I recommend: Learn more about pay-as-you-go prepaid Internet service by visiting W3Reports.com, a division of JP WebTech. Check out MaGlobe to read more about basic prepaid Internet access pricing for business users.

Backup your current connection with prepaid Internet service

Has your cable, broadband or DSL Internet service ever been down? Have you ever stayed in a hotel that doesn't offer Internet service? Most of us have been in these situations and unable to connect to the Internet. Because the cost is so affordable, it may be a good idea to purchase minutes for prepaid high speed Internet service just in case your primary provider's service is temporarily inoperable.

I recommend: Learn more about how you can use prepaid Internet service as a basic backup ISP by visiting Budget Dial Up. Read more about AT&T’s prepaid Internet service plans by visiting BNET.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many prepaid ISP services require users to purchase a startup CD or download software before connecting to the Internet using their services. If you want to avoid having to access the Internet via a specific program, choose a prepaid ISP that allows you to configure your computer to dial into its service rather than downloading special software.

Prepaid internet access is great for small businesses because you can reduce your internet charges without sacrificing the quality of your internet access.

With a prepaid internet service, you pay per minute to access the web. There are no limits to where you can log on the internet or the number of users that can take advantage of the prepaid ISP access.

1. Start by picking a prepaid internet service provider. To do this, compare the rates of the different prepaid internet service providers and pick the company with the most competitive price.
2. Consider your usage needs and purchase the plan that meets your internet requirements. Track your average monthly internet usage to estimate the approximate number of minutes you need to purchase.
3. Renew your subscription and add on minutes as needed. As your prepaid internet access runs out, you can increase your minutes or set up a plan with a prepaid ISP to automatically renew.

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Compare Prepaid Internet Service Rates and Plans

Make a list of all the companies that offer prepaid internet access and the cost of their different plans. Most companies give you per minute estimates, but look for hidden costs, like setup fees.

I recommend: Two prepaid internet service providers to check out for reasonable rates are Dialer.net and Maglobe. Check out their coverage areas and the different prepaid plans that they recommend for businesses.

Purchase a Prepaid Internet Card

If you want to share your access information with other employees, you can buy prepaid internet cards for the company to use. On the card, the prepaid ISP will give you a username and password to gain online access.

I recommend: You can buy AT&T prepaid internet access cards from most Walgreens locations. Another alternative is to buy a prepaid internet card and then refill the minutes online through the ISP support site.

Find a Provider with Prepaid Internet High Speed Internet

Although dial up prepaid plans are useful, you may want to get a prepaid high speed internet service instead. You can also look for plans that support Wi-Fi access

I recommend: Slingshot’s broadband service has many features that are desirable to the business owner. You pay as you go while also getting the high speed internet that makes networking more efficient. Sign up for prepaid mobile internet on the BamNet site.

Use the Prepaid Internet Service While Traveling

With a prepaid internet service, you have the ability to solve access problems while traveling. If you have a dial in or wireless connection available at your location, you can instantly get online.

I recommend: Look for ISP prepaid plans that have both local and toll free dialing options. You’ll find that most providers of prepaid internet service have coverage throughout the United States and Canada at a low rate, but global access is at a much higher rate.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember to verify with the prepaid internet service provider about when your minutes expire. Most companies allow you to use them from up to a year from purchase.
• •  Check out the type of technical support that is available from each ISP before choosing their company for your prepaid internet requirements.

Prepaid Internet service can be a great way for small businesses to reduce monthly costs, if the business does not use Internet service often. Both dial-up and high speed Internet options are available, so sacrifices in quality of service do not have to be made.

Prepaid Internet service providers charge for Internet use per minute for dial-up and per month for high speed, with no limit on location or number of users. Before researching prepaid Internet service pricing and costs, think about the following:

1. Prepaid ISP may offer greater bandwidth potential than monthly subscribers get.

2. Prepaid Internet service can be accessed from any location, so if traveling is a big part of your business, this can provide much needed convenience.

3. Most prepaid mobile Internet services are free of roaming charges, so traveling over state or even national borders won't be an extra charge.

Action Steps
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Avoid prepaid Internet access set-up fees

Some prepaid Internet services charge a set-up fee, which can more than make up the difference saved with prepaid Internet services in the first place.

I recommend: MaGlobe offers prepaid dial-up Internet service with no set-up or activation fees, one hour of free trial access, with prices starting at 44 cents per minute. Xanadoo also offers service with no set-up fees.

Try a prepaid Internet card

When a prepaid Internet card is purchased, it comes with a user name and password. This is a great way to go if multiple employees will be using the same service.

I recommend: Get a prepaid Internet card from Budget Dialup starting at approximately $6 for ten hours of access, and get five free trial hours. If you only need an Internet card for the occasional business trip, you can rent a prepaid Internet card for about $100 per week from WifiRents.com.

Look for ISP prepaid services with toll free dial-up numbers

Internet services with a toll free dial-up number allow the users to travel anywhere and still dial up with no long distance telephone charges.

I recommend: Pay approximately 11 cents a minute for dialing up with a toll free number at MobilityPass. Get a toll free dial-up number for just over 4 cents per minute through BAMnet.

Use prepaid high speed Internet

High speed Internet access, at least 100 times faster than dial-up, is essential for productivity if accessing the Internet everyday. In most cases high speed Internet is required for WiFi access as well, so if a wireless laptop is used high speed Internet, it is necessary.

I recommend: Get high speed Internet access starting at about $25 per month from Slingshot Communications. Get high speed prepaid satellite Internet service, accessible anywhere in the world, starting at approximately $30 per month from Skyway USA.

Gaining knowledge about prepaid Internet service key terms can help you determine if the service is right for your business. For some, prepaid Internet service offers inexpensive and reliable Internet access. Similar to how prepaid phone cards work, prepaid Internet users only pay for the time they actually spend on the Web. Prepaid Users simply purchase a specific amount of minutes that can be used anytime. Prepaid Internet service providers typically don't require credit checks, contracts or charge monthly fees.

Prepaid Internet is a flexible and reliable option for users who don't spend a great deal of time on the Internet. Consider the following prepaid Internet service key terms to help you determine if prepaid Internet service is right for you.

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

Access numbers

Access numbers are the phone numbers that your computer dials in order to establish an Internet connection. To avoid being charged long distance fees for Internet usage, users should confirm that they are assigned local access numbers by their Internet service provider.

I recommend: Find out more about access numbers at Budget Dialup.

Emergency Internet access

Emergency Internet access is a backup Internet service that allows users to access the Web when their broadband connection is unavailable. It can also be used to access the Internet while traveling.

I recommend: Find out more about emergency Internet access services at MaGlobe.

Pay as you go

Pay as you go services work similarly to long distance calling cards. Pay as you go Internet access allows users to buy and use the amount of Internet minutes they expect to use or need. They can also monitor Internet usage with this type of service.

I recommend: Obtain additional informatio about about pay as you go service by visiting Slingshot.

Dialer software

Dialer software is a tool used by prepaid Internet service providers to allow users to easily and quickly connect to the Internet. Access numbers are dialed by the dialer software to enable an Internet connection.

I recommend: Find out more about dialer software at MyPrepaidInternet.com.

Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)

Wireless fidelity is a technology that allows users to connect to the Internet wirelessly in Wi-Fi accessible areas called hotspots. Most PDAs and laptops come equipped with Wi-Fi capability.

I recommend: Learn more about Wi-Fi at BAMnet.

Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband allows users to connect to the Internet on the go by using cell phone networks. Mobile broadband billing is based on the amount of data that's uploaded and downloaded using the Internet.

I recommend: Find out more about mobile broadband at Mobility Pass.