ISP Review: NetZero High Speed ISP

NetZero is trying to compete with the popularity of broadband Internet service by offering its own version, which isn't really high speed Internet access, but is a step above regular dialup.

How does it work? Who knows? But it does. NetZero High Speed (which it sometimes calls NetZero HiSpeed) promises to deliver Web surfing speeds up to five times as fast as normal dialup. On paper, those speeds rival DSL Internet access speeds!

That's on top of the bare-bones Internet service that NetZero specializes in. You get the Internet, nothing more and nothing less -- so you're not paying for tons of extra features and online content like you do with the other services.

NetZero High Speed now includes a pop-up blocker too, which the company says helps make surfing even faster. But most users probably will just be happy not to see pop-up ads any more.

NetZero High Speed also offers TrueSwitch, which is a free service that helps you cancel your existing Internet service and notify your contacts about your new e-mail address. That can help ease the hassle and pain of switching ISPs.

Several dialup providers offer technology like NetZero High Speed to make Web surfing faster. And it really does work. However, it mostly works only on Web pages with text and graphics, so if you play a lot of games or watch streaming videos, you won't see an improvement.

On the other hand, NetZero High Speed Internet access gives you a lot of what makes DSL Internet access so appealing at only a portion of the cost.

A lot of people think of NetZero as being a free ISP or a cheap ISP. That's true, but it also does a good job of bridging the gap between expensive high speed Internet access and ISP service "for the rest of us."

So, my thoughts are that NetZero High Speed is a great trade-off between a DSL Internet service provider and a cheap ISP offering inexpensive dialup service. Not surprisingly, the cost for NetZero is right smack dab between the two.

Great-ISP-Deals.com gives NetZero High Speed... two stars! A great value!

• $14.95 per month