Rate Your Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

ISP Pros And Cons

Like most good relationships, the one between consumer and ISP is great when the service works reliably at the expected performance levels. We order dinner, we go shopping, we watch movies, we play games. Things are clear and steady, no terrible surprises, and we can spend the whole day with our ISP happily. When the internet service is dependable, it can make us laugh and smile.

However, sometimes this relationship can feel like a bad one. There aren't too many good ISPs in your area, so you took what you could get. Your ISP isn't the fastest horse on the track, but its a cheap date. So you have to live with the service going missing for hours at a time with no explanation and you know your calls won't be answered or returned in a timely manner. These types of issues can sometimes leave you feeling pretty empty inside, or maybe even make you think about finding something better. So you wonder if there a perfect ISP out there.

Regardless of how your ISP can make you feel at times, the core services are what matters. Choosing the right ISP depends on understanding what the provider can offer you, what access type you'll be using, what charges you'll incur when you subscribe for a plan, and how your ISP will handle support and service issues.

Derek Forrest
Derek Forrest is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He writes hardware news and reviews gaming desktops and laptops.
  • Kewlx25
    I hope my ISP upgrades speeds again soon. I keep hearing about all of these 1Gb and 10Gb networks around the USA. 100Mb is getting old.
    Reply
  • freeskier93
    NextLight/City of Longmont gigabit fiber here, $50 a month for charter members, what isn't there to like?
    Reply
  • Gam3r01
    500KBps here from Ponderosa, whats to like?
    XD
    Reply
  • Doug_1
    I just want Google Fiber. Everything else can bite it at this point.
    Reply
  • hatib
    we paying 2200 Pakistani Rupees including tax and other things which is $22 in usd for 4 megabit per second and up speed 2 megabit per second a month and now in pakistani ptcl have started 100 megabit per secoend which is for 28000 pkr without taxs which is $280
    Reply
  • whiteruski
    I like how Pakistan has better ISPs that the USA... :)
    Reply
  • GoZFast
    If you want cheap 1-10Gbps internet...go to Japan lol They had 1Gbps for ~20$US years ago, way before we even hear about it here.
    Reply
  • GoZFast
    That's 1Gbps both ways, up and down. In Canada, we can't have over 30Mbps upload without business optic fiber priced unreasonably.
    Reply
  • hatib
    Do you think Pakistan has better isp because you can get google fibre for $60 and there is only one isp in whole pakistan yeah there are isps available but there are very limited like 1mbps down speed and they only cover like about max 20 streets
    Reply
  • beetlejuicegr
    yeah here in Greece due to the economic crisis we are really slow on the vdsl front, struggling here with 7mbps synced out of a 24mbps payed ...
    Reply