Dial-up internet service providers

Dial-up internet is still available in some rural areas, but it doesn’t support streaming or other high-speed internet activities.

How does dial-up internet work?

Dial-up internet works by taking over the signal of an existing phone line and changing it from communicating voice to communicating data. The amount of data that dial-up internet can transfer via the phone line is very limited, which results in low speeds that do not qualify as broadband.

Despite dial-up internet’s slow speeds, about 375,000 people were still using dial-up in 2023, thanks to its high availability and relatively low price. If availability and price are also your concerns when shopping for internet, we can help you find the internet plan that’s right for you. Check out our guide to low-cost internet options, or click the button below to shop available providers in your area.

How does dial-up internet work?

Pros and cons of dial-up internet

Dial-up internet is cheap and readily available, but is it any good? Here are the
advantages and disadvantages of choosing this connection type.

What We Like

Availability

Like DSL internet, dial-up internet uses your phone line for service. Since most homes have access to an established phone line, dial-up internet is available in many areas, even those that do not have access to cable internet or fiber optic lines.

Price

The monthly price of dial-up internet service is typically cheaper than broadband internet. However, when you consider price to speed ratios — that is, the cost you pay per Mbps —  dial-up plans are considerably more expensive based on what you’re getting versus what you pay for.

Security

Dial-up uses a different IP address each time you log on, which makes it virtually impossible for hackers to spoof (pretend to use your IP address) for criminal activity. Also, unlike broadband internet, a dial-up connection isn’t “always on,” meaning you don’t have to worry about anyone hacking your connection type when you’re not logged in.

Things to consider

Speed

Dial-up internet speeds top out at about 56 Kbps, which is significantly lower than speeds you’ll get with DSL, cable internet, fiber or even satellite internet. In comparison, the FCC defines broadband as internet with speeds of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.

Setup

You only need a phone line to get access to dial-up internet, but you’ll probably need a special dial-up internet modem and other equipment to use the service, which may be hard to find.

Load timeouts

Many webpages are designed to load over a broadband internet connection. If dial-up speed can’t keep up, the page might timeout and you won’t have full access to it.

Phone line use

Dial-up ties up your phone line, preventing you from sending or receiving calls when you’re online.

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