# Free Internet Services
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 3, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842 "2000-12-03T18:25:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/1 "2000-12-03T18:25:39Z")
In my quest to find a free ISP for my (cheap) mother, I’ve noticed that all the free ones seem to only apply to large cities.
My mother lives in rural Michigan (the closest “city” with a local number is Petoskey). She wants free service from someone without having to pay long distance fees. I know, I know… she wants her cake and eat it too. But seriously, is there any free internet service that provides local access numbers for smaller towns in the US?
My mother thanks you.
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### Author:  [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/2 "2000-12-03T18:27:08Z")
Oh shit! I didn’t realise I was in Great Debates! Can someone move me over to General Questions? Let me know. If not, I’ll just post over there.
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### Author:  [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/3 "2000-12-03T18:31:40Z")
[Moderator Hat: ON]
Well, I’m in a good mood, so I’ll move it for you.
* * *
David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator
[Moderator Hat: OFF]
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/4 "2000-12-03T18:53:34Z")
AFAIK, the short answer to your question would be “no”. But somebody else with more information might be along in a minute, I dunno.
Having just passed through the fire with Juno Free Internet, I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have the low blood pressure of a zucchini, the skin of a rhino, and the attention span of a geological epoch. Certainly it’s not a wrestling match I’d recommend to somebody’s sweet old mother. Mainly it’s the banner ads that gum up the works and slow it all waaayyy dooowwwnn, and also you get a lot of pointless disconnects, especially during peak hours. I’ve had sessions with Juno Free Internet in the past where I was disconnected every 10 or 15 minutes.
However, I will say that so far the semi-premium Juno Internet (Juno Gold), in which we are paying a fraction of what AOL costs, is working pretty well. The Better Half has been compare-and-contrasting Juno Gold and AOL on the computer at the union office, and he says that speed-wise, Juno is comparable.
Be warned, however, that if your mom REALLY lives out in the boonies, they may still not have a local access number for her.
[http://www.juno.com/juno\_index2.shtml](http://www.juno.com/juno_index2.shtml)
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/5 "2000-12-03T19:24:41Z")
I’m using [http://www.seniorsinfree.com](http://www.seniorsinfree.com) and it’s working well for me- no banners at all. I live in a reletively rural area, and they had a local number. I think you can check on the website and see before downloading.
Zette
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### Author:  [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/6 "2000-12-03T20:13:29Z")
Thanks guys! I’m looking into them right now. Until I find a solution, PLEASE keep the suggestions coming.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2000, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/7 "2000-12-03T23:58:24Z")
MSN from Costco is only $12 a month. Earthlink has like 150 hours a month for $5.00…I think.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/8 "2000-12-04T00:00:15Z")
I’m using FreeLane by Excite. It seems to have service to places with a population of 50,000 or so. How close is Lickspittle, Michigan to one of these cities?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/9 "2000-12-04T03:25:48Z")
Altavista has a local number in this “city” of 30,000 people, but then again, it is a college town, so maybe that’s below their usual cutoff.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/10 "2000-12-04T15:41:24Z")
Alias, maybe you could give us her area code? It’s not like any of us could find her just by her area code.
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### Author:  [@diamud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diamud)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/11 "2000-12-04T16:08:35Z")
I have had good luck with Freelane as well. If you post her area code and exchange, I am sure someone will be able to hook you up.
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### Author:  [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/12 "2000-12-04T18:24:09Z")
I’ve used Lycos free internet. Don’t know if they have a number near you though. They have a banner ad window that you can’t get rid of though.
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### Author:  [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2000, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/13 "2000-12-04T18:34:11Z")
I can’t provide a recommendation of a _good_ company, but I can tell you one to avoid.
**Freei**
It’s awful. Between the ads and the waiting times and the bad dialups, etc. etc.
Freei: Just Say No
🙂
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### Author:  [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2000, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-services/43842/14 "2000-12-07T05:47:12Z")
I am currently using [Winfire](http://www.winfire.com). Formerly known as FreeDSL, they offer just that…DSL for absolutely free. If DSL is not available in your area, they offer free dialup access. They have a toolbar which always has to be visible, but it can be resized to about 1/8 the size of the one on Netzero.
I haven’t gotten DSL through them just yet (nat available for a few months), but their dialup has been good.