Cheap ISP for traveling the US?

[coolbreeze]

Just got an iBook, and use it with my cable connection at home (Comcast). When I start traveling, I will want to dial up for internet access. Since I already pay $50 for my cable connection at home, what is the cheapest method for dial-up access out there?

[Eniregnat]

I like Earthlink (http://www.earthlink.net/home/dial/), a year's prepaid subscription comes to $21.95 a month. That isn't very good, but they do offer lots o dial up lines in just about every city.

Try contacting the cable company (http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/lists/tv.htm) and see if they have a nation wide dialup add on, or if they have one that they can recommend. DSL subscribers often have this option, and though I haven’t heard of cable companies doing the same, they might if they are large enough. If your not happy with cable and your contract is up, it might be worth trying a DSL/dial up combo from your phone company (http://www.switchboard.com/bin/cgidir.dll?MEM=44&PR=109&CID=136&S=SC&T=Charleston), Sprint/Earthlink (http://www.earthlink.net/home/broadband/dsl/basic/), Verizon (http://www22.verizon.com/), etc... Also, some cell phone companies offer dialup access through your cell for as little as$20 U.S. a month.

I just dropped my ISP and will start using T-Mobile Hotspot (http://www.t-mobile.com/hotspot/)T-Mobile’s Hotspots at $.10 a minute, because all I need to do is update my website and download my email, which takes about 10 minutes a week. T-Mobile Hotspots are available at Starbucks (www.starbucks.com/hotspot) and Borders (http://www.bordersstores.com/features/feature.jsp?file=tmobile), as well as many air ports. There is no contract. Perhaps a good solution if you need digital speed and limited contact time with the net.

Another thread about Hotspots: Wireless T-mobile Hotspot- Has anybody used them with their Mac? (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26777&highlight=Starbucks)

Post Script: Because I answered this post, there will now be a dozen better solutions below. :)

[vniow]

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22510

[andrewlandry]

also Earthlink has a plan that is $9.95 a month for 10 hours of dial-up access. it can be useful in traveling emergencies.