Please note that new user registrations disabled at this time.

(Free) Dialup in US?

If you have technical questions regarding computers, consoles, or the games we play on them, post them in here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Kameleon
Posts: 5152
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2000 11:00 pm
Location: Abingdon, UK
Contact:

(Free) Dialup in US?

Post by Kameleon »

Here's the scenario: My Dad has just gone to America from jolly old Blighty, and now he wishes to get online, without paying a penny of course :D So not knowing anything about software in America, I have no idea whether he can get anything comparable to the dialup I have here (no call charges, small or none per/month fee). He's tried AOL but it won't let him do most of the stuff he wants (i.e. Yahoo) and connects really slowly.

Oh, and did I mention, he has a Mac. Bad luck him :(
Proud SLURRite Test Subject and Nick Counter of the Rolling Thunder - Visitors WELCOME!!!
[size=0](Feel free to join us for a drink, play some pool or even relax in a hottub - want to learn more? )[/size]

Sleep is for n00bs, and people with too much blood in their caffeine.
Have YOU voted for Kayless' Dungeon Crawl Inc. yet today???

Reality is an illusion created by alcohol deficiency
User avatar
Ned Flanders
Posts: 4867
Joined: Mon May 28, 2001 10:00 pm
Location: Springfield
Contact:

Post by Ned Flanders »

It sounds like he needs an ISP with international access, i.e.- a service that carries local numbers worldwide.
Crush enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women.
User avatar
HighLordDave
Posts: 4062
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2001 11:00 pm
Location: Between Middle-Earth and the Galaxy Far, Far Away
Contact:

Post by HighLordDave »

How much is a "small or none per/month fee"?

I doubt if you're going to find anything for less than about $15 per, and that's if you go with a local ISP. The downside of the locals is that their service tends to be at best erratic and at worst unreliable. Plus, they're connections tend not to be fast.

There are a couple of "free" ISPs out there; NetZero and Bluelight.com being the first ones that come to mind (unless Bluelight.com went under when KMart filed for bankruptcy). The catch is that you have to put up with all sorts of banner ads and monitors that check all of your internet surfing activities.

I don't understand what you mean when you say that he can't do Yahoo! with AOL; I've never had any problems using either Yahoo!Mail or using the Yahoo! search engine through IE or Netscape while logged on to AOL.

If your dad doesn't like AOL, my next suggestion would be Earthlink, which I think costs about $22 per month.

If speed is an issue, I'd advise him to sign up for cable modem service if it's available where he lives; it costs about $40-50 per month and can be bundled in with the cable TV bill. There are some areas that have DSL, but I haven't heard good things about their reliability.

I think your dad just needs to suck it up and pay the $20-27 that national ISPs charge or get a broadband connection for $40. There just aren't many alternatives.
Jesus saves! And takes half damage!

If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough.
User avatar
K0r/\/f1@k€$
Posts: 337
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2002 12:09 pm
Location: Oxford, UK
Contact:

Post by K0r/\/f1@k€$ »

When Kameleon says little or no charge he means free as in nothing - not a penny.
Post Reply