TN 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 geographic region.

A small business should consider a separate web hosting company to maintain its website instead of using the web space from the Internet providers in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee to use is the type of access you want:

1. Dial-up access is the slowest connection using a telephone 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. Tennessee broadband providers have the fastest connections small business owners in Tennessee can generally afford. Tennessee cable providers also offer high-speed cable Internet access.

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

Locate an Internet service provider in Tennessee that offers cable access to small businesses

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

Find Internet service providers in Tennessee 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: Qwest offers DSL connections along with many other Internet services for small businesses. Sprint Nextel offers a range of DSL technologies aimed at small businesses, including ADSL, IDSL and SDSL.

Check out the access packages from local Internet services in Tennessee

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

I recommend: Net-Express provides residences and businesses in the Knoxville area with Internet access using a variety of technologies. Ultranet is based in Morristown and offers wireless internet service to businesses with a speed up to 3 Mbps.

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 Tennessee Internet service providers also offer multiple email addresses so that you can assign a separate one to each employee.
• •  Use an ISP in Tennessee 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.