Indiana 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 IN Internet service providers. 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 Internet service providers in Indiana 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 Indiana 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. Indiana DSL is faster than a dial-up connection and usually allows dedicated access.

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

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

Locate an Indiana ISP that offers cable access to small businesses

ISPs in Indiana 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: Comcast is an Indiana high-speed Internet provider that has a cable access package specifically designed for small businesses. Time Warner Cable is one Indiana high-speed Internet provider that provides business class service. This ISP will allow you to scale your website according to size, traffic and functionality.

Find an IN Internet service provider that offers DSL service for your business

Many ISPs design DSL packages for business owners throughout much of the nation. Businesses can bundle multiple services together, such as Internet and web hosting, to get a better deal from the ISP.

I recommend: Sprint Nextel offers a range of DSL technologies aimed at small businesses including ADSL, ADSL2 and SDSL. Qwest offers DSL connections along with many other Internet services for small businesses.

Check out the access packages from local ISPs in Indiana

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

I recommend: Midwest WISP is in New Castle and has wireless Internet service for businesses in New Castle and Mount Summit. PDS Wireless offers a business package for small and medium businesses in Mooresville.

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 Indiana business ISPs also offer multiple email addresses so that you can assign a separate one to each employee.