Massachusetts Internet service providers, or ISPs, connect subscribers to the Internet in exchange for a fee. A national ISP will allow access to customers in much of the nation while a local ISP limits its customers to a specific geographical region.

A small business should consider a separate web hosting company to maintain its website instead of using the web space from MA Internet service providers. Businesses with high-traffic sites may require a large national company that can provide mirroring and redundant connections for their websites.

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

1. Dial-up access is the slowest connection using a phone line. You must dial in to the ISP, and frequently you'll have a limit on the amount of connection time you have.

2. Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL, access is available through the phone in most areas. DSL is faster than a dial-up connection and usually allows dedicated access.

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

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

Locate Internet service providers in Massachusetts that offer cable access to small businesses

ISPs in Massachusetts 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: Charter Business offers several packages for businesses and features a cable connection with a downstream rate of up to 16 Mbps. Time Warner Cable is one Massachusetts 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 Internet providers in Massachusetts that offer 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: 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. Qwest offers DSL connections along with many other Internet services for small businesses.

Check out the access packages from a local Internet service provider in Massachusetts

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

I recommend: Russet Communications has a wireless network that serves businesses from Cape Cod to southern New Hampshire. Pipeline Wireless in Fall River provides businesses with a direct connection to Tier 1 ISPs.

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 Internet services in Massachusetts also offer multiple email addresses so that you can assign a separate one to each employee.
• •  Use an ISP in Massachusetts with a Tier 3 rating or better, especially if you are running a small business. The tier rating establishes the ISP's proximity to the Internet and generally how fast its access will be, all other things being equal. Tier 1 ISPs are linked directly to the Internet; Tier 2 ISPs lease their connections from Tier 1 ISPs and so on.