Comparison of Dial-Up Internet Service Providers

NetZero and Juno, which are both subsidiaries of United Online, Inc., offer very similar services, including dial-up Internet access. Both offer several tiers of service. At their most basic level, both services offer unlimited dial-up Internet access. NetZero Platinum Basic Dial-Up costs $9.95 per month and Juno Platinum Basic Dial-Up costs $10.95 per month, both as of June 2011. Their services are comparable and both make use of acceleration software available for installation on PCs with Microsoft Windows operating systems. The software routes data through ISP servers that compress the data for faster transmission.

EarthLink was one of the largest Internet Service Providers in the United States during the early days of the Internet. As of 2011, it offers DSL, satellite and cable data service, as well as dial-up. The company offers several levels of dial-up service, all with speeds of 56 Kbps. At its most basic level, you can get unlimited Internet access for $21.95 per month, although there are long-term service plans that offer lower monthly costs. Like many national ISPs, EarthLink offers a data acceleration scheme that routes some data traffic through external servers that compress data for faster download. However, their software only works on computers running an up-to-date version of Microsoft Windows.

AOL (once known as America Online) was the largest Internet service provider in the country during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company has shrunk significantly since that time, but still offers a range of dial-up Internet services. All service levels offer unlimited dial-up Internet access with prices ranging from $9.99 per month to $25.90 per month.

Several major broadband Internet service providers also offer dial-up access in some form. Such ISPs include major telephone companies such as AT&T.; Specific services vary, as do the prices the companies charge. While dial-up service tends to be relatively simple to provide, these services are often a very small portion of the companies' overall business, which may result in poor customer service compared to companies where dial-up service is a primary business.

Hundreds of companies across the country claim to offer dial-up Internet access. Some of these companies are reliable, regional providers, while others are fly-by-night operations with poor connectivity and no customer service. Specific speeds and prices vary. Some reputable companies include Eskimo North Internet Access (56 Kbps for $20 per month); Quantum Internet Services, Inc. (56 Kbps with acceleration for $15 per month); and Xpress Internet (56 Kbps for $12 per month).