| Internet access is ideal, almost necessary for | | | | want to know the price, or a question about a |
| communication, education, and entertainment in | | | | product, look up that company's website and most |
| today's fast-paced, technologically advanced world. | | | | likely, you'll have your bill paid or your question |
| Not only that, the large and growing variety of | | | | answered in minutes. |
| activities and opportunities on the Internet is almost | | | | Another popular use for the Internet is a search |
| overwhelming. Perhaps one of the best benefits of | | | | engine. It's like a super help desk for the Internet. |
| having Internet services is the ability to connect with | | | | Don't know that address of a website? Don't know |
| others-even around the world! It's easy to maintain | | | | what website would have the information you need? |
| new and long time relationships through the Internet, | | | | That's where the search engine comes in. All you |
| even meet new people and chat about any given | | | | need to do is type a few words that briefly |
| topic-all within comfort of your own home. | | | | summarize what you are looking for and click search! |
| Internet access has become a necessary element of | | | | You will be directed to a long list of related websites |
| life, work, and fun. Whether shopping, communicating, | | | | that offer relevant and helpful information. You can |
| or researching, the Internet offers many tools, | | | | even narrow your search results to only "News" |
| information, and access that would otherwise be | | | | webpages, or a listing of images, products for sale, |
| more expensive, take longer, be more expensive, or | | | | or videos on the keywords you entered. Search |
| all three! There are many activities that are | | | | engines help you navigate the web in a way you |
| necessary, or at least preferred, that can now be | | | | never could if you had to stumble on all of these |
| done on the Internet. | | | | websites on your own! |
| For example, the majority of companies now have a | | | | Recently Internet access has provided many new |
| website. In fact, the Internet has become the most | | | | marketing tactics that would have seemed impossible |
| popular and necessary way to advertise because so | | | | even a few years ago. The latest emphasis in the |
| many people use the Internet as their primary source | | | | modern business world has been the advent of social |
| of getting and sending information. On these | | | | networking. It started out as a fun tool for |
| websites, you can get information that is vital to you, | | | | individuals; you set up a profile, add "friends," that is, |
| like the phone number and address of the nearest | | | | a link to profiles of people you know (or met on the |
| location, the hours and services available, the | | | | net), then you communicate, play games, update |
| products they offer (sometimes there are products | | | | people on what you are doing, thinking, etc. Some |
| that are only sold on the website itself or can be | | | | people were able to garner hundreds of "friends" and |
| bought for a cheaper price online!), and sometimes | | | | a small mention of a company or activity could be |
| the names and email addresses of staff members. | | | | spread quickly and easily, because so many people |
| Websites also offer many transactions that would at | | | | are networked to one another. Many companies |
| one time only have been available if you drove to | | | | began to latch on to the phenomenon and made |
| their nearest store or sent a form or check in the | | | | profiles of their own. Now companies and businesses |
| mail. Here are a few examples: | | | | can spread their messages and create an awareness |
| *You can buy stamps, look up addresses, and print | | | | that would have cost hundreds or thousands of |
| postage labels on the USPS website. | | | | dollars using another method. |
| *You can pay your bills, file a claim, and view | | | | As you can see, the use of Internet access is |
| important documents on most insurance websites. | | | | widespread and popular, and the benefits just seem |
| *You can buy items, and have them shipped to your | | | | to keep growing! If you haven't connected yet, it's |
| or the nearest store on a department store website. | | | | time to get access to all the great things the |
| If you have a bill to pay, something for which you | | | | Internet holds! |