Cheap DSL - Is There Such A Thing?
Yes, it is possible to find cheap DSL. Of course, 'cheap' can be a relative term, but in many areas, there are DSL services that are available for a lower per month fee than many dial-up Internet Service Providers. What's the catch? It's just a tried and true marketing gambit. The DSL companies want to hook you with a low introductory fee in the hopes of keeping you around on a long term basis.
Now, be aware that in most cases, these DSL deals will require you to sign a contract, usually for a period of one year. If you decide that the service is not right for you and want to stop service, you may either be unable to get out of the contract or will be required to pay a hefty termination fee.
Also, be sure to carefully investigate how the company arrives at the advertised price. First of all, you may be expected to install the DSL equipment yourself. Over time, most companies have simplified this process greatly, and if you've set up a computer, you can probably set up your DSL. However, if you don't feel up to it for any reason, and want the provider to install the system for you, it could cost you a couple of hundred bucks.
Additionally, the required equipment, such as a modem, may be listed as 'free', but to get to free, you may have to make an initial payment, and then get it back via a mail-in rebate. Certainly something to be aware of if you're one of those people that never seems to get around to sending in those rebates. Even if you know you'll send it in, factor in the time and trouble to handle any rebates when comparing various plans. Most DSL providers have various levels of service. The advertised cheap DSL deals will invariably be for the slowest speeds available from that particular company. These days, that can be as fast as 768KB downstream (to your computer) and 128KB upstream (back to the web), which is an improvement over a year or two ago. While this will probably seem lightning fast to you if you're coming from dial-up, if you've previously had a more expensive DSL connection or cable broadband, you may find it frustratingly slow. And there are still some cheap DSL plans that only provide speeds of 256/128KB. A cheap DSL connection can be a great deal, if you take the time to investigate precisely what's being offered, and compare it to other plans that are out there. Also, make sure it fits your life situation. If you think that you'll probably be moving in six months, then you want to see if the contract will allow that without penalty.
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