How to Find The Best Usenet Newsgroup Service

Mar 18
09:11

2013

Francis A. Hamer

Francis A. Hamer

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Usenet is one of the most popular resources available on the Internet. Long before Internet discussion forums were popular, Usenet was used for various types of group discussions. Even with the phenomenal growth web forums, Usenet remains immensely popular.

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Usenet is one of the most popular resources available on the Internet. Long before Internet discussion forums were popular,How to Find The Best Usenet Newsgroup Service Articles Usenet was used for various types of group discussions. Even with the phenomenal growth web forums, Usenet remains immensely popular.

Usenet Newsgroups

There are over a hundred thousand Usenet groups. These groups are also called newsgroups. Usenet newsgroups provide a means for experts and novices to discuss topics as varied as politics and computer technology.

Choosing a Newsgroup Service Provider

Internet users eager to access Usenet newsgroups first need to choose a Usenet service provider. To access various newsgroups, Internet users must create an account which will allow them to access a Usenet server. Many Internet Service Provider or ISP provides this ability. A better choice is the utilization of a third party Usenet service provider.  There are a good number of Usenet service providers to choose from.

What to Look for in a Usenet Service Provider

Here are some of the basic features that a user should look for in a Usenet service provider:

Security, Retention, and Completion: Users should look for features such as Secure Socket Layer, long retention, and high completion rates. Retention is the length of time that articles stay on the provider’s server. Completion is the number of articles the provider has compared to what they say is available. Sadly, many ISPs run poor news servers. On a mediocre provider, retention time may only be a few days. On the other hand, some premium service providers offer years of retention with over 99 percent completion rates.

Cost: Cost is an essential consideration for most users. After a free trial, high quality Usenet typically costs between $10 and $35 per month. Quality Usenet providers may offer additional services for additional fees.

Server Features: Some Usenet providers have server farms on both sides of the Atlantic. This helps users to access with the best speed regardless of their location. Another feature to look for is the number of connections offered to the server. Providers who offer more simultaneous connections typically offer faster speeds.

Technical Support: Another feature to look for is expert technical support. Especially for the new users, navigating Usenet and newsgroups can require a learning curve. Premium service providers will have 24/7 support. They will offer this service every day of the year. Their support staff should be able to address questions related to signing up, billing issues as well as connection and speed problems.