NetZero VS PeoplePC, Who's the Best ISP

How Are They The Same?
NetZero and PeoplePC offer similar plans for dial up internet service. Thank goodness most people are growing with technology advancement but it's good to know that these type of companies are around when either your DSL, Broadband or T1 connection is down.

For $14.99, NetZero offers the fastest Dial-Up service, Anti-virus protection, Spam Blocker, Pop-up blocker, firewall, and email accounts.

For $15.95, PeoplePC offers dial-up Internet Service, Virus protection, a Spam blocker, Pop-up blocker, firewall, and email account.

With simular prices and benefits of technology, You might be wondering what the differences are. Are there actually differences between NetZero and PeoplePC? Is one ISP actually faster than the other? Can NetZero hold up to its claim to being the fastest Dial-Up service to date?

What Is The Difference Of Each ISP?
There are actually only three differences between the technology of NetZero and the technology of PeoplePC.

The first difference is anti-virus software. NetZero prefers to use and offer the security technology of Norton while PeoplePC has decided to use its own security technology.

The second difference is that NetZero offers a money back guarantee within the first month of service. I tried contacting PeoplePC regarding any guarantee and I was unable to reach anyone on the "liveperson" chat program. PeoplePC also does not state that they have a money back guarantee on their website.

The third difference is that NetZero offers 100 free minutes of online talking. So basically you have an hour and half to chat online via your computer and speakers. What happens when that hour is over?

In comparison a customer can use PeoplePC dial-up and one of the many messenger programs to chat computer to computer. Yahoo offers computer to computer calls within the United States for a penny a minute. So 100 minutes on yahoo would cost a dime.

The Small Print of each ISP
The main factor in question, "Does the company have the technology to produce speed in dial-up?" In all honesty, look at the small print before you purchase anything. Both NetZero and PeoplePC state that their actual data transmission rates are not faster than standard dial-up Internet service. They are not a broadband company. The transmission of files including streaming audio and video , digital photographs, MP3 or other music files.

So is there really a difference? PeoplePC has a page load of about 7-10 seconds. I was unable to find one for NetZero ISP.

Which ISP would I choose?
I personally would use PeoplePC. I do not like companies forcing me use software just because the software is name branded. NetZero is doing just that. There is also the fact that NetZero has more than a dozen complaints about canceled clients having their credit cards charged for services that the are not using. A previous client even changed the card number but still had NetZero charges taken out of his account.

The online computer to computer telephone calls just seem like bells and whistles. As I stated before, Yahoo offers the same service a dime per 100 minutes of telephone service. So NetZero is really not offering any advancement in technology.

So the choice is up to you, do you prefer an ISP that offers name brand anti-virus technology or do you prefer an ISP that offers 7 second page loads? Other than that I don't see any major differences in dial-up services.