10 Questions You Must Ask When Hiring an Internet Provider

What is one of the first things that you do when you move into a new home? It is setting up your utility services like gas, water, and electricity. While all of these services have their own importance in your life, there is one thing you cannot do without i.e. the internet. There are several types, terms, and descriptions that you will come across when making your choice between best internet connections.

Here we have compiled a list of ten questions you need to ask the internet service provider (ISP) so you can make a well-informed decision.

Are there any installation fees?

Before making your choice, you will want to know if there are any installation fees and other costs like cancellation fees, gateway costs, etc. hidden in the contract. Is the equipment going to cost you an upfront price, or will you rent or choose to lease it over the period of your service? What if there is a problem with the equipment? Will you have to pay a service charge to have someone come over and fix the issue? Will you have to pay a replacement cost for new equipment? Make sure the internet provider gives you everything in writing.

Are speeds guaranteed?

There is a reason why you see “up to” next to listed speeds on an advertisement. But does that guarantee that you will receive the listed speed? Ensure that you read everything mentioned in the contract and understand what speeds you can genuinely expect.

I need a list of high-speed internet providers in my area. That’s what you tell yourself when searching for some internet companies with online speed testing links to their website. These links give you the freedom to test the speed by yourself before reaching out to customer service. The tech department will have a record of what you have been getting in terms of upload as well as download speeds.

Are there limits on data?

Data limits are restrictions that may be provided by an ISP on internet usage. However, not all internet providers will have a data limit and there are some with hard or soft data limits. A soft data limit signifies that after reaching a certain amount of data, you can continue to use the internet. However, the internet speed will be slower. A hard limit, on the other hand, signifies that after using a certain data amount, the internet provider will completely cut you off or charge you overage.

Who will install the equipment?

It depends on the complexity of the equipment required, you have the option of having a technician install the equipment. However, you can install the equipment by yourself. Keep in mind that you might have to pay installation fees to the technician for equipment installation.

Do you have a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?

An SLA (an acronym for Service Level Agreement) outlines the quality commitment of the company. To make sure performance levels are met, network expectations such as latency, downtime, etc. are addressed. This is where the internet service provider summarizes in a document what you can look forward to receiving from them.

What is your MTTR (Mean Time to Repair)?

In case an outage occurs, how long will it take the internet provider to get the required network up and running? Well, DSL connections usually take 24-48 hours to repair. Unfortunately, there are several companies that will only tell you how long it is going to take before you finally get a response.

Where is your tech support team based?

It is ideal to have a local support team as it can provide onsite support to individuals. However, they are likely to work during service hours that you can work within. You need to make sure you can reach out to the tech support team without hassles. You don’t want to waste your time on hold for a technician who cannot give you a feasible resolution to your problem. You want someone who can walk you through every step of the way.

Do you provide access to anti-virus software and SPAM filtering on your servers?

It is important for you to know what actions the best and cheap internet provider takes to ensure the protection of your computer and files. Is this going to cost you anything extra?

Is there a contract?

Find out if there is a contract. If yes, what is the length of the contract? Make sure you find out if the internet service provider offers you any incentives for agreeing to a longer contract length.

Will you throttle my speeds?

Even though the majority of internet speed providers may promote no data limits, you might come to know that they will throttle your speeds when you pass the limit of soft data. If the networks seem pretty congested, some ISPs may restrict the speed.

Hiring an internet service provider is an overwhelming task, as there are so many to choose from. You may not be aware of the questions that you need to ask them. One of the things you need to consider when choosing a professional internet provider is to get all the information before you sign the contract.

If you are looking for the best deal on the internet, ServiceDealz will make it easier for you to settle for a plan that saves you money.