Dial-up Internet service goes through regular phone lines, which were never intended to be used for Internet service. Because it uses your regular phone line, you must dial into your ISP when you want to connect to the Internet. Also, unless you have a second line, you cannot use your phone while connected to the Internet.

If you use the Internet occasionally for e-mail and some surfing, dial-up may be right for you. It is inexpensive and uses technology you already have: a regular phone line and a modem board in your computer. The maximum dial-up speed is 56Kbps, which is not fast enough to enjoy multimedia on the Web and makes graphically intense Web pages load slowly. Dial-up service generally costs about $20 a month, and can be obtained from AOL, NetZero, PeoplePC and other ISPs.

Broadband Internet service is significantly faster than dial-up service because it uses technology built specifically for high-speed Internet connection. Unlike dial-up, with broadband you are always connected to the Internet. Like dial-up, you will have to choose an ISP to connect to the Internet, but there are many different options within broadband, especially connection types.

•  DSL is the best-priced broadband option, offering high connection speeds at not much more than dial-up. DSL uses the high same wire as your phone connection with improved technology to enable broadband speeds. You need to have a phone line to use DSL, but you can use the phone while online. How fast your DSL connection is depends on how close you are to the main DSL source in your neighborhood. You can find that out by calling your ISP or with a free tool from DSLReports.com. Some ISPs that provide DSL include Verizon, Earthlink and others.
•  Cable Internet broadband service usually offers higher speed than DSL, but costs slightly higher as well. Cable Internet speeds are not affected by distance, but they are affected by bandwidth sharing issues. If everyone in your neighborhood uses cable, consider using a different connection like DSL. Cable is available from your local cable television company.
•  Fiber optic cable is available in some areas. Fiber, installed directly to your premises, uses hair-thin strands of fiber and optical electronics to directly link homes and businesses to a network like Verizon. The state-of-the-art network allows a range of advanced communication services for voice, data and video. In addition, fiber offers reliable service during wet weather that can affect copper-based networks and coaxial cable systems.
•  Other options for high speed include service through satellite, which is more expensive than DSL, fiber or cable. But it is a viable option for those who live in areas where they can't get DSL, fiber or cable connections. Monthly charges for satellite run higher than the other options, with an expensive installation fee. Download speeds are comparable to cable.
•  If you are always on the go, consider getting wireless highspeed Internet. Many major cities have high-speed wireless connection via a cellular network. For more information, contact Verizon Wireless.