Colorado Internet service providers, or ISPs, provide customers access to the Internet for a fee. National ISPs can reach subscribers in much of the nation while local ISPs serve customers in a specific geographic region.

A small business will generally use a separate web hosting company to maintain its website instead of using the web space from the broadband ISP. Colorado businesses with busy websites will need a large national company that can provide mirroring and redundant connections for their websites.

The first consideration in deciding which CO ISP to use is the type of access you want:

1. Dial-up access is the slowest Internet connection and uses a telephone line. You must dial in to get Colorado Internet access, and you'll frequently have a limit on the amount of connection time you have.

2. Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL, access is available through the phone and is a common type of high-speed Internet. Colorado DSL is faster than a dial-up connection and usually allows dedicated access.

3. Colorado broadband providers have the fastest connections small business owners in Colorado can generally afford. Colorado cable providers also offer high-speed cable Internet access.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate a Colorado ISP that offers cable access to small businesses

ISPs in Colorado that provide an always-on cable connection are frequently the best deal for small businesses. Some national ISPs offer packages tailored to the size of your business.

I recommend: Optimum offers a range of packages for businesses of different sizes and provides web hosting and ecommerce services. Conway is a Colorado high-speed Internet provider that provides a premium business Internet package using cable. It also sells additional IP addresses, email address and web space separately.

Find ISPs in Colorado that offer DSL service for your business

Many ISPs design DSL packages for business owners, in addition to providing basic Internet service. Colorado companies can bundle multiple services together, such as Internet and web hosting, to get a better deal from the ISP.

I recommend: The Verizon Small Business Center offers high speed DSL connections with options for static IP addresses that allow businesses to host their own email and Web servers. AT&T offers a package that combines DSL, VoIP, web hosting, networking and wireless Internet. You can determine if your specific location is in a service area by providing the telephone number of your business on AT&T's website.

Check out the access packages from local ISPs in Colorado

A rural business may have to depend on small, local Internet service providers. Colorado ISPs frequently offer wireless DSL service for these businesses.

I recommend: Mesa Networks operates a fully independent network with a scalable bandwidth up to 4.5 Mb for businesses in Colorado. Rev Networks provides high-speed internet connections to residential and business customers in the Monument, Palmer Lake, Woodmoore, Jackson Creek and Glen Eagle areas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check your ISP's terms of service for website size limitation if you plan to have a large website. You will also need to ensure that your ISP permits commercial websites if you wish to have a website for your small business. Most Colorado Internet service providers also offer multiple email addresses so that you can assign a separate one to each employee.