Whether you have lived in Boston for a while and are looking to upgrade or you are new to the area, you may be wondering who the best Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the area is. While there are many to choose from, you want to make sure you pick one that offers the fastest speeds and the lowest prices. After all, you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg every month just to access your Netflix account or log in to check your email. When it’s time to choose an ISP, use this guide to help you make a smart, informed decision.

Figure out What Different Services Are Offered and What They Do

If you’ve heard terms such as “broadband” or “FiOS” thrown around in conversation, you may be wondering what those mean as far as network connections go. There are many different ways to access the World Wide Web through an Internet Service Provider, and they all act in their own unique way. Unless you want dial-up, (trust us, you probably don’t!) you will go with broadband access, which covers different formats:

• DSL. DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line and uses a telephone line that’s likely already in the ground near your home in Boston to access the web. Generally, this is the least costly option, although it may be slower. Why? Because the physical distance between your home and the Internet Service Provider has an effect on the speediness of your connection. The farther away you are, the slower it will be.
• Cable. Cable access is granted through your cable provider, as the name indicates. It’s more widely available than other types, and doesn’t rely on distance like DSL does. However, you will be sharing your bandwidth with others in your neighborhood, so during peak times your speeds may drop.
• Satellite. With satellite, the Internet Service Provider uses satellites to beam internet access to customers. Most often, this is used by those in a highly rural area, so not too many people in Boston utilize this type of access.
• Fiber Optic. Also known as FiOS, fiber optic access is the most reliably fast and clear connection for users to choose. By using networks of optical lights, FiOS instantly beams a connection to users with minimal interruption. Because it’s a newer technology, the availability may vary amongst ISPs.

Compare Speeds and Prices

When it comes to comparing speeds and prices, the first term that you should make yourself aware of is Mbps. In the world of Internet Service Providers, Mbps stands for Megabits per second, which is an indicator of the connection speed. For personal use and basic web surfing, you should be fine with 2 Mbps, but most homes in Boston with a few people in them will benefit from a higher number like 5 Mbps. However, if you have multiple heavy connection users (streaming on sites like Hulu or Netflix as well as gaming or downloading large files) you may want a higher speed.

Go Local

While we may be biased as we are local to Boston, there really are benefits to staying local with your Internet Service Provider that shouldn’t be overlooked. For one, depending on the type of access you choose, your speeds will be higher if you choose a local ISP. You will also benefit from better customer support because a local company can make house calls and has a better idea of the Boston area and what customers need for their connections and networks. You don’t want to have to contact a call center located overseas when you need a simple fix. With a local business like ITD Solutions, we can be there in a matter of minutes if you’re having problems. You won’t have to go through a call center either, because we focus on making sure our employees can personally help you whenever you need it.

Call ITD Solutions for an Internet Service Provider that Truly Provides

When you need a truly excellent Internet Service Provider in the Boston area, look no further than ITD Solutions. As a master agent for a variety of telecommunications and cloud data systems, we can make your life easier. Switching services isn’t hard when you have us to help you. We act as one point of contact, making things more streamlined and simple. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us today at 888-542-8484. We offer free consultations so you can find out which form of internet access is the best fit for you!