Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Internet Service Providers - Benefits of Faster Broadband Access

Most of us remember the days when the only internet service providers were dial-up. While you may realize that faster internet means getting more enjoyment out of your online experience, you may not realize that high speed access can save you money and is more gentle on the environment. Take a look at a few of the online activities that can actively save you money.

 Bill Paying

Then
Now
10 years ago, paying your electric bill required you to use a paper check, paper envelope and a stamp. The environmental aspect alone was significant but checks, envelopes and stamps certainly weren't free.

Additionally, if you had a bill due on the 15th and woke up on the 14th to realize you forgot to make your payment, you were likely out of luck. Some companies would allow you to make a payment over the phone – but would charge you a significant fee.
It's never been easier to pay your bills online. Most banks offer online bill pay for free. You simply provide information on who you want to pay, how much you want to pay them and when the payment should be received. A check can be sent instantly to your payee and in some cases the payment will be sent electronically.

Many banks also offer same day or next day bill payment, which can save you a significant amount of money off late fees.

Deals and Discounts

Then
Now
Savvy consumers have always been able to find good deals but it took a lot more work before high speed internet. Your options were limited to visiting numerous stores to compare items, calling around, or newspaper clipping while keeping an eye out for the latest deals in your area. This was such a time consuming option that many people preferred to simply pay full price.
Nowadays, anyone who wants to find the best deal can do so by searching the internet in just a few minutes. Most major online retailers have online coupon codes that are compiled at couponing websites. There are entire sites dedicated to providing you the latest information on the best deals around. Many major amusement attractions have the best deals available only online.

The Value of Your Time

Then
Now
It's not just money you can save online. In the past, something as simple as checking your email could take 15 minutes. If you wanted to make an online reservation with dial-up, the process of submitting your reservation, waiting for it to go through and getting a confirmation could take you 10 times as long as it would to make a simple phone call.
Many of us take for granted just how quickly tasks can be accomplished online. Users can now open multiple tabs on their browsers and check their email, utilize social networking sites, do their banking and stream a movie – all at the same time. Instead of spending an hour in front of the computer to complete a few simple tasks, we can now use that hour to get our chores done – and have a little fun.

Quick Communication

Then
Now
Back during the days of dial-up, we also didn't have unlimited, free long distance like many cell phone plans now offer. If you had a question for someone who lived 100 miles away, your options were to email them and wait hours for them to get around to checking their email or to call them and pay up to 25 cents a minute just to get your questions answered.
Now that the internet is so fast and most people use it all day long, most people check their email very regularly. That means if you need to know what your dad's favorite color is before you send off his birthday card, shooting an email to your mother is likely to get a response just as fast as you need – at no cost to you!


There are innumerable ways that high speed internet service providers are not only saving us money but saving us time and helping us get our jobs done more efficiently.  Find out lots of ideas on how high speed broadband enhances our lives to maximize your internet subscription to work for you.