Business owners in Michigan usually have a wide selection of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to choose from. Although the choices of broadband access are more limited than they are for traditional phone modems, Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) access is much faster and is now easily affordable.

DSL services in Michigan have a download rate that is at least 512 kilobits/second and it is usually much faster than this. By comparison, a regular telephone modem has a maximum transfer rate of about 50 kilobits/second, rarely attained in practice.

Michigan DSL service must use a telephone line so the total number of DSL providers in a given area is normally limited to a very small number. The cost for DSL in Michigan is primarily dependent upon the maximum connection speed and any additional services provided in the service package.
The only hardware that DSL service normally requires is a DSL modem if the user already has telephone service. Purchase a DSL modem outright from the DSL provider or a third party, rent from the DSL provider or find it included as part of the service package.

In order to best use your DSL service in Michigan:

1. Find a locator service suitable for your needs.

2. Compare the prices between services in Michigan.

3. Determine the reliability of broadband Michigan services.

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

Locate DSL in MI

Identify all of the DSL Michigan providers in your area to ensure you are getting the best possible service for your business. Your telephone company will usually offer DSL service and there may be other DSL providers for your business as well.

I recommend: Use DSL.com by entering search criteria (preferably zip code) to get a list of every Michigan DSL service provider in your area. Adelphia, AT&T and Verizon are all national companies that provide DSL in Michigan.

Compare prices between broadband service in Michigan

DSL Michigan service is generally slower and therefore cheaper than other broadband services. However, broadband access is frequently bundled with other services so you will want to ensure you take all of the features into account when comparing services.

I recommend: Get a list of prices of all the DSL Michigan services providers for your area in one place at dsl.broadbandnational.

Determine the level of support you can expect from your broadband Michigan service

Support varies considerably among DSL providers and some providers guarantee a maximum amount of downtime per month. If they provide this metric, take this into account when choosing a DSL service.

I recommend: Go to dslreports.com to find out what customers of DSL in Michigan think about their service providers. This DSL review site does not endorse any specific DSL and allows open discussion of their services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Telephone wiring will occasionally need to be upgraded in order to support DSL, especially in older houses. Your DSL service provider should check for DSL compatibility before they activate your DSL MI service.
• •  The download rate listed for your DSL service is the maximum rate that you will be able to achieve. The actual rate can vary greatly, determined by many factors, some of which are not under the control of the DSL provider.