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Supplying personal information
Take a good look at the online request form before signing up for free Internet service. Often there are fields on the form that are voluntary. The required fields are often identified with an asterisk (*). There is nothing wrong with withholding voluntary information if the ISP does not require it. On the other hand, providing false information may result in your request being denied, or in an extreme case, being asked to reimburse the free ISP for the fair market value of the internet service that was provided to you in good faith. A word to the wise: be honest in your dealings, but remember that if you choose to supply information beyond what is required, you are doing so on a voluntary basis; don't gripe about it later.
Sorry, that's not our policy
I find it a good practice to read the terms of use for the free plans. Most require you to place a check mark or click a button signifying that you have read and agree to the terms of service. Some ISPs may prohibit individual accounts for minor children, or may allow them only with parental permission. Check these terms in advance so that there are no hard feelings later.
Included within the body of the usage agreement is often a reference to the company's privacy policy. Again, this is something worth taking the time to read. It may mention that the ISP's policy to share aggregate information to prospective advertisers. This means that user data are grouped into categories so that the ISP can reveal demographic information about their subscribers. This information might include the total number of users; number of users broken out by household income, age, profession, state or country, time zone, schooling, hobbies or interests, operating system and web browser, etc.
Advertisers require user information to target their messages to reach the right audience. The ISPs will provide these data (yes, the correct usage of the term data is plural) to their sponsors in hopes of receiving a higher price for ads. So while most users accept that aggregate information may be shared, they would certainly not enjoy having their specific or individual information shared, lent, or sold to third parties without their knowledge and permission.
It is important to read the usage agreement, privacy policy, and terms of service (or any contract for that matter) before you accept them. There is no such thing as universal "boiler plate" language. Every word in the agreement has been placed there for a reason. Since the FISP does not allow you to propose your own language, you have the right to accept or refuse their offer. Take advantage of your right to review the language and don't agree to anything you do not understand. You may always request am explanation about a particular clause or section. Cut and paste the information you're not sure about and include it in an email message to the ISP.
What do I recommended for beginners?
Free Internet service is not something I recommend for everyone. Most free ISPs don't include the necessary software, and rarely provide the level of customer support that is needed for the first-time internet user. Instead, new users should strongly consider signing up with a large ISP that offers a month-to-month service plan to allow the beginner to get their feet wet. As the user's skill and comfort levels increase, then they are better prepared to select a browser (Internet Explorer and Netscape are the two most popular) and email program (Eudora Light is one example) that will work with a free ISP. Once they are familiar with those, then they can visit the web sites of the few remaining free internet service providers to determine if the free ISP will support standard net software.
Keep the ISP you have
Another option in lieu of obtaining free internet access is to keep your present ISP. This is especially true if you use the internet for business purposes. Since the fee paid to your ISP is a legitimate business expense (which can be written off for tax purposes -- see your tax advisor or accountant), you will most often select the provider that can offer you the best blend of service, availability, features, and price. A FISP does make sense if you want a back-up dial-up account in case your regular ISP gives you a busy signal at peak periods.
What about those pay-once ISPs?
You may have also seen offerings for the pay-once-then-enjoy-it-free internet access programs. These are still around as of this writing, but many have been converted in favor of the free ISP programs. Do you really want to take it on faith that the xyz ISP will still be in business next year, or the year after that, if you pay $159 now to obtain the "special" software? Take as an example the huge failure rate of free ISPs that took place during 2000 when investors pulkled out because ad revenues were found not to be what were hoped.
In my opinion, most of the buy-it-for-life Internet access programs appear to be thinly disguised multilevel marketing (MLM) schemes. They depend on the buyer getting additional people to purchase the service, and those new buyers getting still more buyers, etc. The downside to all MLM plans is that eventually everyone who is interested has already been approached about the plan. What happens when the influx of cash stops? What incentive is there for the ISP to continue to offer internet access service to those who have already paid? At least with a paid ISP, the provider has an incentive to keep their service operational. After all, their revenue stream is directly proportional to how happy they keep their users.
What should I know about Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)?
Wi-Fi has had its growing pains, too. Several cities across the US planned huge Wi-Fi roll-outs for its citizens. Unfortunately, this proved costly for the Wi-Fi providers to make happen. 2008 saw two major projects fail, with the ISPs turning over their partially-completed projects back to the cities.
However, many local coffee shops and other businesses continue to offer free Wi-Fi for their customers. The key word is "customers." Just because a wireless signal may be accessible in the parking lot of a business doesn't mean that a non-customer should connect to it. Indeed, 2007 court cases found in favor of the Wi-Fi owners, sending a message that non-customers should not "steal" Wi-Fi access that is meant for customers. 'Nuff said.
Free Wi-Fi users should keep their operating systems patched to the latest versions, have personal firewall software installed, and have an active malware scanner employed. This will help reduce the threat of unauthorized software and malware coming along for the ride.
Practice common sense, as there have been cases of hackers setting up free Wi-Fi sites to capture user passwords and personal information. I wouldn't use Free Wi-Fi for sending or receiving sensitive information. I would also sit with my back to a wall, so nobody could "shoulder surf" my password by sneaking a peek at my laptop screen. Be careful out there!
In conclusion
This article has hopefully provided a brief overview to the ever-changing world of free Internet access. I hope that you have found it informative and thought-provoking. If you would like information on a specific free Internet service plan, you may obtain a list of providers by clicking here.
Brett McCarron is the author of eight books, and nearly three dozen magazine articles on Internet, computing, magic, music, and gambling. He has been the webmaster of The Blame Productions and Freebies2go sites since 1995.
