Is there really any such thing?
I have been searching, and they ALL suck you in with ‘FREE’ and then want you to pay something.
I need in the neighboorhood of 150-200 hours a month, but I have to cut some fat out of the budget.
Anyone here on a ‘free ISP’?
I’m on two free ISPs; one is Netzero, and the other is my mother’s AOL account 
You won’t find a free isp which will allow that many hours. Netzero used to offer 40, but now they’re down to ten.
There are quite a few cheap ISP tho-- Netzero has unlimited service for 9.95. If you hunt around you can find something cheap, but free isn’t worth it anymore.
I have Juno (the free version) as a backup, in case my ISP is having trouble. Which luckily is rare, because Juno pretty much bites.
However, I don’t think there are many totally free ISPs nowadays. Not but a couple of months ago, my ICQ buddy and I were hunting down free ones on the net for her to use. (She was having a dispute with her regular ISP over the bill and was in danger of being knocked offline at any given moment.)
In her area (near Columbus, Ohio) there were absolutely NO free services to be had. Even the AOL numbers she would have had to go through were toll numbers. In fact, all of the services we checked out were either no longer available or she would have had to dial a toll number to use it. Which pretty much defeats the purpose of a free ISP.
Anyhow, you might want to check out Juno, but don’t expect anything wonderful. Hell, don’t even expect mediocre.
I’ve tried about 14 different free ISP, all but 2 (Juno and Net Zero) went belly up. They’re all terrible. You get what you pay for. I love my Road Runner.
Jump locks out any users of the free service who are on too long or too often. I was locked out of Juno, the messag e gave some reason or another, but I was suspicious. A few months ago, CNBC was interviewing some expert or another who confirmed it.
The free ISP's seem to be dissappearing. Bluelight was free and unlimited. Then, free and 25 hrs. Then 12. As of august 29, bluelight no longer has a free service.I don’t know of any either. Everyone is competing and this makes it hard. All we get are fly-by-night companies. I can’t stand all the adds anyway. When Motorola mass assembles its 35,000times faster chip, we will all have different pcs and whatnot. I bet we never see a free ISP again.
Thanks guys, I thought maybe I was looking the wrong way or something, but most of the ones mentioned I have found, so at least I know I am not crazy.
I might have to quit EverQuest.
<sob>
In the Internet Dark Ages, like 10 years ago, when ISP’s hadn’t been thunk up yet, typical access was with thru colleges, large employers, or institutions like libraries. At least one library, in Bensenville, IL (clearnet.org) still offers free ISP access, although I think they now have a (generous) number-of-monthly-hours limitation.
And this is the standard connect from home kind; I didn’t mean you have to physically go to the library. Their software is kind of a drag, tho, not real up-to-date.
My guess is this program will not last forever, either.
Here’s one that you may have missed, kellibelli:
http://www.internet4free.net/funcow.htm
It’s really pretty good, for a free service. They’re Canadian, so their user base is considerably smaller than the U.S ones.
I get a free ISP from my college. I use a simple dial up to connect. I have to give up the privilages after when i graduate.
Most of the free services are gone… They just didn’t make any money giving away their services and trying to survive on advertising revenues… Even AT&T has pulled it’s $4.95 plan that had ad banners.
I suggest going with a cable modem or DSL. It’s cheaper than an extra phone line + ISP cost.
My ISP is free. But then, I work for them, so that doesn’t really count.
I found a comparison chart that might help. It’s here if you’re interested. (Warning! Tons of friggin’ pop-ups!) Just click on “Free ISP’s” at the top or bottom of the page.
ALl our local libraries have free computers connected to the net on very very fast lines too. YOu can use them & use webmail.com to get your mail from other accounts.
Cant play EQ at a library Handy.
I think I mentioned in the OP that I need 150 to 200 hours a month, I would have to LIVE at the library.
Thanks to everyone else for your help, I checked your links and unfortunately none of them still had active free ISPs.
It would appear they are going belly up very fast.