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Internet service reviews: NetZero

Monday, January 14th, 2008

If you don’t wish to pay extra for a Cable or DSL connection, or if you simply cannot connect to these services in your area, NetZero HiSpeed can be an excellent choice. NetZero can be installed from a CD (which you can order by mail, phone, or the Web) or by downloading the software. The online installation is easy. Just fill in your area code and dialing preferences in the NetZero applet and you are set up and ready to go within three minutes!

NetZero offers plan add-ons that add features to your connection for additional monthly costs. This is a plus factor because you can customize your ISP to include the features you want and avoid high prices by not paying for features that you’ll never use.

The most popular dial-up option is its High-speed 3G. This service is the fastest surfing you can get without a broadband connection. It includes Norton Antivirus software with no additional charge and 2 GB email storage with spam and virus protection. You also receive NetZero’s pop-up blocker standard and an Instant On feature that gives you instant access to your “pre-fetched” NetZero email, browser homepage and your NetZero home pages without waiting to connect.

The best thing about NetZero is the price. For instance, NetZero HiSpeed 3G allows you log on at near-broadband speeds for only $9.95 per month - about a third of the cost of a typical cable or DSL connection. Juno (NetZero’s sister company) offers a very similar service called Juno Turbo, while AOL, MSN and EarthLink offer more expensive dial-up packages. NetZero also offers a free option for users who do not use the internet as often, and do not mind viewing advertisements.

With regards to its speed, NetZero HiSpeed connections are very reliable. NetZero uses data compression, image optimization, memory enhancement, continuous optimization and pop-up blocking to increase the speed at which it takes to load sites into your browser making it one of the most efficient dial-ups on the market. However, given a choice of more than a dozen local access numbers for your area, you could experience a lost connection. This is one area in which NetZero should improve.

Another downside of NetZero is its customer service and support. Some customers who wanted to discontinue the service have expressed difficulty in contacting their billing department. The live phone support is not included free with your service. You must pay a moderate fee. However, NetZero can be fairly straight-forward and doesn’t require much support, if at all. They respond within one business day when requesting support by email.

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