Choosing A Free ISP From What's Left!
Written: Dec 10 '00 (Updated Jan 03 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Free
Cons: Usually unstable and buggy.
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| rpllingrock's Full Review: Archived Computers & Internet Reviews |
*** Updated 1-3-2001 ***
Although two players have exited abruptly, it’s not the end of the Free World as we know it. There will be replacement ISP’s to reinstate those vacated by 1stup and SpinWay.
The Price We Pay For Free Access
First and foremost, is the ad bar that most free ISP’s employ. Not only will it suck up valuable bandwidth, but resources as well, i.e. CPU and memory.
Along with this is the need to sellout your personal information, which may include your full name, address, telephone number, annual income, and a host of prying questions. Most times it is clearly stated in the user agreement, exactly how this information you provide will be used. If you agree, and provide all the information correctly, be prepared for postal and electronic mail junk.
Why Use Free Access Anyway?
1. Cost- Some of us may not be fortunate enough to afford the $10-$25 per month needed to join the rest of the world on the Internet. I live in Connecticut, where we hold the honor(?) of having the highest per capita personal income in the nation (http://ln.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104652.html). But yet, there are thousands of kids in my area, who can only experience the Internet through a school or library, and not utilize it for homework at home, as my kids do.
With the millions of outdated computers in the stream and recycled hand me downs; many of these people have the machines capable, but not the money for service. I personally know of people who would be shut out because of SpinWay’s demise.
2. Travel- When I made a trip to Dover Downs, in the fine State of Delaware, I used these free services to communicate with friends, read Epinions reviews, and check my mail. My current provider does not have nationwide access.
3. Back-up- On the rare occasion my ISP (SNET) goes down, I have the option of dialing in to a free ISP and carry on business as usual.
Problems With Free ISP's
One of the biggest complaints associated with Free Isp's, is problems related to system performance. This is sometimes due to incompatibility with the users system setup, opening the gates to unstable connections, poor system performance and a boatload of annoyance. By far, 1stup had the edge when it came to stability, with NetZero a close 2nd. Hopefully the clients of 1stup, will base their new dialers on this framework.
Goodbye To The Big Boys
Most of these ad-driven Internet Providers rode the wave via two companies; SpinWay and 1stup, both of which have decided to cease operation. SpinWay on December 1, 2000, and 1stup on December 10, 2000.
Many of the clients of SpinWay and 1stup, are currently working on replacing these services. As of right now, I can name three who are actively pursuing a solution.
K-Mart’s BlueLight has purchased the remaining assets of SpinWay to keep their millions of users online while they mull over whether or not to provide free access in the future. Judging by the way Epinions users rate SpinWay, this may prove to be an unwise decision on their part. ;)
Updated 12-31-2000
"Beginning on January 1, 2001, we will be limiting usage on the BlueLight.com Internet Service to 25 hours per month per user. This is a necessary cost-cutting measure which will allow us to keep offering the service at no cost. Once you have used your allotted 25 hours, you will not be able to gain access until the beginning of the next month."
On top of all this, they will be introducing a new Internet Service on or around Feb 1, 2001. I can hardly wait. ;)
Updated
MyFavoritei by NBC says they are currently working on a replacement for service.
As of 1-3-2001, MyFavoritei has not posted any updated information. Either they're not in any big hurry, or they're taking all the time necessary to release a bug free dialer. Yeah, right! ;)
Updated
FreeLane version 2 is now available for download. Be forewarned though, they have a limited amount of access numbers at this time. Not to mention a mutant ad banner! ;)
NetZero, my current favorite, has yet to announce anything about their service, and don’t expect them to. In my estimation, both SpinWay and 1stup, attempted to corner the market and undercut competition by allowing big companies like Yahoo!, K-Mart, AltaVista, and others, to utilize their services for way below cost, and it now appears to be a calamity of unwise business decisions.
NetZero has shown to be more financially stable than any of its competitors.
Updated
This notice appeared December 21, 2000 on the NetZero Web Site:
"Beginning in January 2001, households and businesses that exceed the 40-hour threshold will have the option to pay $9.95 to allow them unlimited usage for the remainder of the calendar month."
This is what NetZero calls their "Professional Pay Service". They claim this is necessary to keep access free.
Juno- Could be a model for other free providers to use as a ”Don’t Do” it this way when building a service.
Overall
Before downloading any dialer software, make sure there are local access numbers for your area. Providing 56K access shouldn’t be a main concern, since most do.
As it stands right now, I recommend NetZero for system and connection stability. One thing I did notice was being automatically disconnected after 4 hours connect time, this in a single session. This shouldn’t prove to be a problem if you use it strictly as a backup.
Don’t expect great things from free providers. The connections are sometimes unstable, and the software will undoubtedly slow your system speed. This can lead to more frustration than it’s worth.
Recommended:
No
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