Carefully choose a Minnesota ISP for your business in Minnesota. There are many internet service providers in Minnesota to choose from, and they vary greatly in terms of services provided and costs. It is essential to choose the right provider so that you don’t need to put your business through an overhaul to change your website or email address at an inconvenient time.

If internet activity is an integral part of your business, this is probably not an area in which to cut business costs. Undependable service on the part of your ISP will translate to unprofessional demeanor of your business in the eyes of your clients.

When choosing from the ISPs in MN, you must:

1. Choose a reputable Minnesota ISP that is unlikely to go out of business.
2. Determine how much the internet will be used for your business.
3. Consider which features your business needs.

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

Find a dial-up internet Minnesota provider

Dial-up service is by far the cheapest, but least convenient to use since it takes time to connect and ties up your phone line. Dial-up is ideal only for businesses that do not heavily rely on internet use. If you choose dial-up, be sure that your business is not directly affected by your internet Minnesota access.

I recommend: TheISPGuide gives great choices for Minnesota ISPs and the option to search by MN city. Try Lanset, an ISP that provides internet access from anywhere in the state and email and web space for a very low price. Dialup 4 Less is a nationwide dial-up service that provides over 100 local dial-up numbers throughout Minnesota.

Get DSL service from one of the Minnesota ISPs

DSL may be the most reliable solution for your business internet MN needs since it is not affected by traffic levels. DSL may cost more than other services, but you are guaranteed higher upload and download speeds up to 25 times faster than dial-up.

I recommend: EarthLink provides DSL in Minnesota, as does Quest, AT&T and Verizon. SkyPoint Communications is a Minnesota ISP offering DSL and dial-up.

Try cable internet MN service

Cable service is comparable to DSL and a favorite of many home users. In many cases, it is even faster than DSL but is not as reliable. Cable also has slower upload speeds than DSL.

I recommend: Comcast offers cable internet access throughout major metropolitan areas in Minnesota. So does Charter Communications.

Consider a T1

A T1 line is the best option for high-speed internet for small to medium sized businesses that have high internet traffic. They can be very costly, but very dependable in speed and service.

I recommend: Speakeasy offers T1 service throughout Minnesota, and so does Intercom.

Get satellite internet service

When shopping for internet access, Minnesota has many rural areas for businesses that do not have DSL or cable providers. Satellite might cost more in comparison to DSL or cable, but the service is just as fast. One downside of satellite service is that sometimes bad weather causes it to go down.

I recommend: HughesNet and SkyWay offer satellite service in all areas of Minnesota.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for ISPs in Minnesota with unlimited email accounts.
• •  Find a provider that has access for multiple locations.
• •  Find internet service providers in Minnesota who offer 24/7 customer support.