Specifications
dresses, with 5MB per box (the least
here) and just 5MB to 10MB of server
storage space for a personal Web page,
and it lacks pop-up–blocking and
parental-control software. Yet good
speed, reliability, and service seem to be
more than adequate compensation for
the shortfalls.
Testing the Road Runner cable service
in Tampa, via cable provider Bright
House Networks, we experienced quick
download speeds and friendly customer
support. But the service came with little
in the way of networking software, and
we were forced to jump through a few
hoops before getting it up and running.
Based on our readers’ more enthusiastic
scores for Road Runner, we think
our confusing and frustrating in-
stallation experience may have
been atypical.
When we ordered the service,
Bright House sent a technician to
do basic installation. He plugged
our new modem into a power out-
let, split and connected our television
cable, and quickly tested the line. We were
given the choice of setting up our PC for
Internet access on our own, using Bright
House’s do-it-yourself installation kit, or
calling a second, more experienced tech-
nician to set it up for us. We opted
for the kit, but once the technician
departed, we realized he hadn’t left
it for us.
We drove to a Bright House of-
fice to pick up the two-CD kit, but
we still couldn’t complete the in-
stallation. The technician had failed
to make sure the modem was activated
and forgotten to leave our predefined
user name and password. We contacted
PC MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 16, 2003 www.pcmag.com
110
month (at 20 hours), you’re automatically granted Access-4-
Free Plus status—unlimited access for the rest of the month.
Despite the stated 10-minute restriction, we stayed in-
actively connected for an hour before being disconnected.
Access-4-Free includes one e-mail/Web mail account, with
5MB of mail storage space and a comprehensive Web mail
interface that lets you create mail folders and an address
book, forward messages, and customize spam-filtering
settings. (Access-4-Free.com.
llllm)
For $5.95 a month, plus an $8 setup fee,
Access4Less gives
you unlimited Internet access. Since it shares the same net-
work and access number as Access-4-Free, we were not
surprised that the services also share
a Web mail interface. But Access4Less
provides two e-mail accounts, with
5MB of storage for each.
Signing up by phone costs an addi-
tional $5, and a technical-support call
(up to 20 minutes) costs $5 as well.
We called with a question and were
immediately connected to a support
tech. We let the connection sit idle for
35 minutes before our connection
was terminated. (Access4less.net.
lllmm)
As the name indicates, 650 Dial Up
costs $6.50 per month. It offers un-
limited Internet access, five e-mail
accounts, and 10MB of storage (total). Tech phone support is
free (and toll-free), as is support via chat and e-mail. We
called to inquire about support for V.92 modems and were
told that 650 Dial Up supports them. But an answer to an
e-mail inquiry contradicted this.
The Web mail interface is about as basic as can be. A four-
button control panel gives access to New Message, Back to
Mailbox/Refresh, Delete All, and Logout functions.
We maintained an inactive connection for 45 minutes
before being disconnected and never experienced a dropped
active connection. We like the multiple e-mail accounts and
free phone support, though the response to our V.92 query
made us wonder a bit about support quality. (650 Dial Up,
www.650dialup.com.
lllmm)—John Delaney
Cheap Dial-Up
ou may still have a dial-up account because you
don’t want to pay the higher cost of broadband or
you can’t even get high-speed access yet. Or you
may have dial-up as a backup—or a way to get
online when you’re on the road. Whatever your reason, as
you’re getting ready to pay your next $20 or $25 monthly
access bill, consider that a growing number of dial-up ISPs
offer low monthly rates for Internet access, and in some
cases they include one or more e-mail accounts, e-mail
storage space, and 24/7 technical support.
We signed up for three “cheap” services, each
under $7 a month. Although we uncovered a few
glitches and some restriction in the fine print, we
were generally pleased. All three services limit you
to a 5-hour session before your connection is termi-
nated, and all reserve the right to terminate your
connection after 10 inactive minutes.
Subscribing was easy, typically taking less than 5
minutes. All the services support V.90 and V.92, the
fastest modem technologies currently available,
and provide more than a dozen local access num-
bers for our region, with thousands of access num-
bers nationwide.
In very informal testing, we timed a PCMag.com
home page load and downloaded a 1MB mail at-
tachment from each Web mail service. Connection speeds
averaged 42 to 44 Kbps, and in each case we were able to
access our Web mail page within 35 seconds. It took an
average of 4 minutes to download the e-mail attachment
and 50 seconds to load PCMag.com.
Though not quite free,
Access-4-Free was the least expen-
sive service we tested. There is a $4.95 setup charge to
subscribe online (for an extra $5 you can subscribe by
phone). Each call to the 24/7 support line costs $5; support
via e-mail is free (we received a reply to an e-mailed question
within 20 minutes).
If you limit your connection time to 10 hours per month,
ongoing service is free, but once you go over, you’re charged
$1 per hour. When your connection fees hit $10 for the
y