Free Internet Access Providers (ISPs)
In this category we feature the various free Internet access providers available. If you have one, you may take your speedy broadband connection for granted. Indeed, you may have even grown to depend upon it. So, as you can imagine, all chaos can ensue if there are technical difficulties at the ISP or with your telephone provider. Some of our readers have already had the misfortune to deal with broadband connections on the blink. Fortunately, for these "worst case" scenarios, the Internet serves up more than enough "free" Internet providers. Keeping a spare dial-up modem within easy reach will allow you to access the Net - albeit a bit slowly - even if your primary connection experiences problems. The free ISPs we review here offer free access to the Web via dial-up (and you only pay for the time you spend online via your telephone bill). If you happen to stumble across an outdated link, or an ISP below changes their policies, we'd very much appreciate it if you could report it. Thanks!
Free-dialup.net
Our UK visitors can get free dial-up Internet access here without the need to set up an ISP account. You only pay for the local telephone rate on an 0844 number. Registering with Free-dialup.net is very easy and a username and password is all that's required, then you can access the Internet immediately. They also offer local rate telephone support. (UK Only)
My Dialup
My Dialup makes it easy for you to have free Internet access without paying any monthly fees. They provide access via an 0845 Lo-call number with your choice of username and password, allowing you to access the Net straight away with no extra charges. The service is ideal for use as a backup, or for those of you who don't spend too much time on the Internet. (UK Only)
Freeola ISP
Offers free online access with no setup or monthly fees. Technical support is charged at local rate and you'll receive unlimited free Web space plus unlimited POP3 e-mail addresses. A CD-ROM is not required to get online so you can connect by dialing 0845 604 3090, using "freeola" for the username and password. Their homepage provides lots of useful information. (UK Only)
UK Free ISP
Here's a free free dial-up Internet access provider for the UK. This service provides a fast and reliable connection to the Internet with no subscription fees. They also provide free e-mail (with Web mail access, anti-virus and anti-spam protection), along with a free hosting service. You only pay the phone costs for the time you are online via an 0844 number. They support 56K, V90 and ISDN. (UK Only)
Emergency ISP
If you're a regular Internet user and require a secondary connection for backup purposes, you needn't look any further than Emergency Internet. They offer a free, fast and reliable 0845 dial-up Internet connection to modem and ISDN users. There are no monthly charges either, since you only pay the local dial-up call charges that appear on your phone bill. Free customer support is provided all day, every day. (UK Only)
Free 0845 Internet
A reliable and trustworthy free Internet access provider from CHC Solutions. They offer a 1:1 dial-up connection with no contention, meaning you never have to share bandwidth with anyone else. Connecting to this network is very easy: simply enter the supplied username and password, enter the dial-up number, and you'll be connected in no time. This service is spam free and provides technical support via e-mail. (UK Only)
UK-Free.co.uk
This free Internet access service provides a fast dial-up connection on an 0844 number. Aside from the free dial-up connection, UK-Free.co.uk also provides a free POP3 e-mail address that's accessible via Web-mail. Spam blocking, anti-virus filtering and free Web site hosting is also offered here, and the connection is compatible with various modems, including: V90, V92, ISDN 64K and 128K. (UK Only)
Free Internet UK
Provides reliable free dial-up Internet access, ideal for people who use the Net occasionally. With Free Internet UK you needn't worry about monthly fees or contracts, and you can connect to the Internet from any UK landline via an 0844 number. The connection is charged at the local rate and will not disconnect after two hours usage, unlike many similar services. (UK Only)
UKo2.co.uk
A free dial-up Internet access provider that's ideal if you only surf the Net occasionally (or if you're on business and require a quick and simple connection solution). UK02 provides a reliable connection and in addition includes 50MB free Web space, unlimited POP3 e-mail addresses, unlimited e-mail aliases and an online account administration page. (UK Only)
MyFreeISP.co.uk
Provides anonymous, fast and reliable free dial-up Internet access, ideal for people who surf the Net occasionally, or travel around a lot on business. There are no monthly fees or contracts to sign here either. You simply connect to the Internet from any UK landline via an 0845 number. 64K and 128K bonded ISDN connections are also supported, along with 56K. (UK Only)
Tiscali
A British free Internet Service Provider, formed when the LineOne, World Online and Tiny Online ISP's joined together. By and large, Tiscali is fairly good for a free ISP. They offer fast and reliable connections, free online technical support, 100MB of free Web space, 6 e-mail addresses, SMS and instant messaging support plus the ability to access your email from their info-packed homepage. (UK Only)
A1Dial ISP
A great free dial-up Internet access provider from the UK, offering Net access for free, with no monthly fees or contracts to sign. All you pay is the cost of a local phone call whenever you decide to connect. This free service supports the following modems: 56K, V90, V92, ISDN, 64K and 128K, network modems and routers. A1Dial is also a completely anonymous ISP. (UK Only)
Inspiron ISP
A fast, free and friendly dial-up Internet access provider including POP3 e-mail access, Web mail services and free Web space. Free online help is available if needed and there are no monthly fees to pay or contracts to enter. All you pay for is your phone network's lo-call rate (usually charged per minute). Inspiron is ideal for both home and business usage. (UK Only)
Net Zero Free
NetZero is an Internet service that provides consumers with an easy way to access to the Internet. They offer the usual tools you'd expect from a top ISP including e-mail and unrestricted WWW access for 10 hours every month. There's one catch though, you must surf with an advertisement bar to cover the costs of their free Internet access service. (U.S. and Canada)
Connect4free.co.uk
Here's a UK-based free dial-up Internet access provider. Connect4free.co.uk provides a fast and reliable connection to the Internet with no subscription fees. You only pay the phone costs for the time you are online (via an 0844 number). This Internet Service Provider acts as an excellent backup if you have problems with your primary connection provider. (UK Only)