There is such a huge range of choice when it comes to the Internet in the UK that it can be quite bewildering. This guide aims to make the process of setting yourself up online easier.
I have been online since 1988 (with a 2Kb modem in those days) and have used dial-up telephone line connections, high-speed broadband and satellite links.
At whatever level you are considering entering the internet market, you will need an Internet Service Provider (ISP). You may just want to surf the Internet and exchange emails or you may want your own website too. Let's consider these in turn.
The most common form of UK internet access at the moment is
high-speed broadband, whether it comes from a cable provider or a telephone
line, usually provided by BT. If you are still using a dial-up 56 Kb connection,
you have a wonderful experience in store for you. If you are considering going
online for the first time, don't give dial-up a second thought - it is painfully
slow, once you have experienced high-speed broadband. If you have a cable TV
provider, you will probably find it easier to get your connection from your
existing supplier, otherwise I suggest going with
. BT has plenty of experience, a long-standing good record and is very competitive too these days.
You can read an independently written article on hi-speed broadband Internet access by
clicking this Internet Access
link or the button on the left.
Most ISP's will allow you a few email addresses and a limited
amount of their disk space to host a personal website. This might be sufficient
for some people, but these days, with lower prices and higher individuality
required, I think that most people would rather a more personal website and the
personal email addresses that go with it. For example: would you rather 'be
known as' (ie have an email address of):
owen1954.8@ntlworld.com and a site address of
http://ntlworld.com/owen1954-8/index.html
or
owen@amiabledragon.com and an address of
http://amiabledragon.com ?
(These are real examples: I was with NTL before, but have left them and the Amiable Dragon is one of my websites).
In this example, amiabledragon.com is my domain name, so I can put anything I choose before it to create an email address. It is far more personal AND it can be used for business, if I want, whereas many ISP's ban the use of their websites for business purposes. If you decide on having your own domain, then you will need to host it somewhere (ie someone will have to store it on their computer for you). Again, I have provided an independent report on web-hosting and my recommendations.
Finally, you may want to enhance your Internet experience by upgrading some of your accessories; for example: getting an optical or radio mouse, a wireless router, a better chair or desk et cetera. For this, again, I have made certain recommendations on the Accessories page.
I hope you have found this article useful and that the site will help you better experience the wonderful World Wide Web.
Happy Surfing!
Owen.
PS: if you live outside the UK, please click here for a similar deal in the US.
|
Is Ordering Online Safe? |