Another thing to look out for is the speed and reliability of the connection. This is partly dependent upon the speed of your modem and your computer (see above), but also depends on your ISPs facilities too. Again it's worth shopping around to see which service provides fastest access, and the quickest, most reliable connection. There are a number of websites that run independent tests and surveys on each of the major ISPs, so there's no shortage of advice!

It's also worth shopping around for extras, such as webspace and email boxes, domain names, and even telephone deals.

Remember, though, that if you use your ISP's email facilities, your email address will change each time you change your ISP; it's often better to have a separate, permanent account from an independent email provider, such as Microsoft's hotmail or Google's gmail.