High-Speed Internet Options for Expatriates in New York
There are several companies that offer Internet services in New York City. Most people in New York City get their broadband high-speed internet connections through the companies that supply them with cable TV.
Time Warner Cable Company (http://www.timewarnercable.com)
The Time Warner Cable Company is one of the major Internet providers in New York City. It supplies super-fast internet access through its Road Runner High-Speed Internet Service which provides download speeds of 10Mbps which is 6 times as fast as standard DSL and up to 150 times faster than dial-up services. The Road Runner Service is provided over Time Warner’s fibre-optic network and once you sign up for the service you are supplied with a high-speed cable modem that links your computer to Time Warner’s fibre optic network. The Road Runner High-Speed Internet Service comes loaded with freebies like free Internet Security, free parental controls, multiple webmail client accounts and a 30-day money back guarantee. You can sign up for this service online at the website of Time Warner.
The Road Runner High-Speed Internet service is available for $39.99 a month (not including taxes). The company also offers another High-Speed Internet Service called Earthlink in areas not covered by its fibre-optic network. You can sign up for Time Warner’s services online where you can even schedule an appointment during which a technician will come to your home to set up your Internet connection.
Verizon (http://www22.verizon.com)
The Verizon Communications Company also offers a variety of High-Speed Internet Plans over its fiber optic network. These plans offer down oad speeds that range from 1Mbps to 7.1 Mbps. The prices of these various plans range from $17.99 to $39.99 a month not including taxes and are available for one or two-year agreements. This High-Speed Internet can be supplied to you even if you do not have a Verizon phone.
The company offers an even faster internet through its FIOS network which offers speeds up to 50 Mbps. Once you have signed up for Verizon High Speed Internet online, an installation kit is sent to you a couple of days before you service is ready to be used. This kit can be easily self-installed. The various different Verizon High Speed Internet plans even include free access to Verizon Wi-Fi spots. For FIOS internet you need to schedule an installation appointment as the installation for FIOS internet can take up to four hours.
RCN (http://www.rcn.com/new-york/)
The RCN network also offers High-Speed Internet in New York City over its fibre optic network and it offers three different plans which offer speeds that range from 3 Mbps to 20 Mbps. These plans (http://www.rcn.com/) are priced differently and may or may not include the cable modem. The prices for these plans range from $19.95 to $80/month depending on the speed of Internet that you want. RCN also allows the use of your own cable modem if it is compatible with its network. The company even offers traditional dial up internet plans.
Internet Cafes
If you are living in New York City, it is likely that you will have internet access at your home or at your work place or even on your phone. If for some reason, however, that you need to access the internet outside your home or workplace then you can use the internet facilities available at one of the 85 branches of the New York Public Library (http://www.nypl.org/branch/local/) or even at one of the many Fedex Kinko stores that are scattered all over the city. While Internet access at the New York Public Library is generally free, you have to pay for access at the Fedex Kinko Stores (http://www.fedex.com/us/office/).
Internet cafes are not that common in this ‘connected’ city which is peppered with over a two hundred free Wifi spots (http://www.openwifispots.com/Default.aspx) although there some Internet Cafés which are located in the heart of the tourist district in Times Square which mainly cater to the needs of tourists. Rates for internet access at this café are $6.40 per half hour minimum (if you do not use your half hour, you get a coupon for the remaining time), $3.20 per 15 min thereafter. Prepay rates are also available, and they are generally cheaper.
Times Square is also the location of the world’s largest internet café called Easy Internet Café (http://www.easy.com/) which is operated by the same company that operates Europe’s famous low cost airline – Easy Jet. This café has over 800 terminals and offers extremely competitive rates for internet access. Easy Internet Café has three locations in New York City.
