Internet Service Provider

Internet Service Provider (ISP), company that sells access to the Internet, allowing computer users to send electronic mail (e-mail) and browse the World Wide Web (WWW), among other tasks. In some cases, ISPs sell dial-up access, providing a phone number that lets users dial into the Internet via a computer modem. In other cases, they sell broadband access, a much faster connection to the Internet. Some broadband services, known as digital subscriber lines (DSL) services, run over standard telephone lines, while others use cable television lines or wireless connections to orbiting satellites. Typically, the ISP must visit the user’s home and install the broadband service on the user’s computer, but some companies offer toolkits that let users install the service on their own. ISPs typically charge a monthly fee for Internet access, and they often charge an additional fee for broadband installation. See also Wireless Communications.