I recently got the dreaded announcement that my place of employment is planning to shut down early 2010. After about a week of shock and disappointment, I started looking at the  things I need to do to prepare. Of coarse that includes getting rid of bills that I don’t necessarily need to have, or could do without. As I go down the list, I come to my  internet service. Right now I pay $60 a month for a 20down/5 up connection.

Now lets not be silly, I’m not gonna get rid of my internet service…I’m not even considering getting rid of broadband or going to the lowest tier. That doesn’t mean that I cant look into other options.

The problem with the “Other options” option is that basically, there is really no other options. Well there are, but they are basically the same. In my area, you have Cox cable internet, Verizon DSL or Verizon fios. When it comes to price, they are all basically the same. Yea you can get lower speeds for cheaper prices but you cant get a “cheaper” service. If you want a certain speed, it will cost the same regardless of the company you choose to get it from.  There are no bargains.

There is an option that I looked into briefly, wireless broadband plans. You have sprint, AT&T and Verizon but if you have ever looked into those offerings, you’d know that your gonna pay about $60 bucks a month for an “unlimited” data plan.  A plan that will put you at a lower speed than the lowest tier that is offered by most wired broadband services and isnt really unlimited because they all have 5gb a month limits.

If you do want to get a look at your options without having to go from website to website, where do you go? Well there are a few websites out there that compile prices or just give you an idea of prices so that you will know what you are looking at if you arent already familiar. Websites like http://www.broadbandexpert.com.au, http://www.broadbandreports.com/, or http://www.thebroadbandguide.com.

Truth be told, with as much as I do on the internet, and now that I will be in the job market and will be using the internet to look for a job and some training, I wont be getting rid of my broadband service anytime soon. Cox will have me for a costumer till I run out of money…or until I find something equivalent but cheaper