by Tanja T
(originally published in Currents October 2003)

Sure you can go to an Internet café and surf; but trust me, once you get started, you will want to have access to the online-world around the clock. There is much more out there than just email. You can find information, recipes, long lost friends, pay bills, check your bank account and much more.

It is not hard and not expensive to surf – even Germany now has good rates. Here is a quick overview of how to connect your computer. To get started, you will need to have a modem and select an Internet Service Provider (ISP). With the modem you are able to dial up the Internet via your phone line. Investing in a fast modem (56K or more) is worth it as they are quite affordable today. A modem dials the number of the Internet Service Provider. If you are online but still want to be able to use your telephone, then you should work with Deutsche Telekom to purchase DSL (digital subscriber line) or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). With DSL, you will receive information faster and more securely than with ISDN (up to twelve times faster). However, DSL may not be available in your area yet if you live outside of Hamburg. The easiest way to purchase these are to call Deutsche Telekom (tel 080 330100 or visit one of their shops) and have them install it for you, or some ISPs like Tiscali will communicate with DT for you when you order your ISP connection.

In choosing your Internet Service Provider, you have a number of options. Start by asking friends and family which ISP they prefer. Some of the most popular here in Germany are freenet.de, AOL.de, Tiscali.de, T-Online.de and MSN.de. If you are just starting out, the proprietary ISPs like MSN and AOL are the easiest to use as they are user-friendly. Most of the time, you can download the software or use the provided installation software CD in order to create an account. Some of the criteria you should use are the following:

1. Do they offer a local access number so that the call is charged at local rates? If you will use the Internet elsewhere, do they offer local numbers where you will be traveling?
2. Make sure that the ISP offers a way to get help offline and online. What hours are they open? Will they answer your emails?
3. Figure out whether you want to surf a lot and get a basic flat rate, or if you just surf minimally for a rate per call calculated by minute. For example, Tiscali is offering a DSL Flat rate for EUR 16. If you just want a cheap ISP, do not go with the proprietary ISPs.
4. Cancellation policy: What is the minimum time you have to keep this ISP? How much warning do you have give if you want to change or cancel the policy?
5. Pay attention to whether or not the charges are put on your telephone bill or taken from your account automatically (Bankeinzug).
6. One important thing is to make sure your data and habits remain your business and are not sold to anyone. Germany tends to have stricter privacy laws in comparison to the USA.
7. Find out what value-added services each ISP offers. Make sure they offer what you want such as spam blocking, parental controls, pop-up blockers, virus protection, etc.

Good luck surfing!