Ever since COVID-19 disrupted the usual daily activities of individuals back in 2020, it’s considered a global problem that has affected many lives. Unfortunately, this effect is mostly leaning towards the negative side of things. The millions of cases worldwide, numerous death tolls, insufficient medical centers—these problems stemmed from the pandemic, and it’s still affecting society to this day.  

To prevent the spread of the virus, safety measures were implemented. One of which is implementing community lockdown within each state. Since COVID-19 is an airborne disease, people need to have as little interaction as possible. Although this solution may seem obvious, it makes for a jarring transition from communicating with each other up close.  

And it’s also worth noting that humans are social creatures. Having no interaction whatsoever each day might hit some people harder, especially extroverts. However, with technology improving day by day, the solution to your lack of social interaction is already right at your fingertips. But you can see it clearly through the use of internet providers.

What Are Internet Providers?

Also called internet service providers (ISPs), an internet provider does exactly what its name implies: provide internet. Of course, there’s no singular internet provider that society uses. Although some depend on internet data to access certain apps that need you to go out, many ISP franchises are still available in the market. But despite having the same, you must be careful in selecting which one fulfills what you’re looking for, such as:

  • Internet Speed 

Remember that this embodies the phrase ‘you take what you get’ because the lower its speed, the more it limits you from accessing everything the internet can offer. Of course, if you’re practical, this is recommended for those who only want to accomplish their basic tasks on the internet, like checking your email or surfing the web.  

However, for households with more than one person living (who also frequents the internet), it’s better to choose a speed above 10 megabytes per second (Mbps). This way, the internet will be distributed between each device fairly without experiencing any lag.

  • Rating 

Again, the phrase ‘you take what you get’ applies here. But this time, the lower the speed is, the cheaper it is, and vice-versa. That’s why, as mentioned earlier, you must consider these questions; namely, how many devices will be using the internet and what do you need the internet for. Knowing the answers behind them can help you narrow down your options. 

  • Bundle 

Depending on the ISP franchises available in your demographic, you might find yourself selecting between different packages. Typically, these bundles may include a telephone and TV channel subscription. While these might sound like a bonus, it’s only more reason for you to take your time in selecting. As long as you know which one to prioritize, there’s a likely chance you’ll get what you paid for.

Why The Internet Conquered The Pandemic 

Because of technology nearly taking over society’s way of life, you can say that it’s almost impossible for anyone to function without the internet. And with the pandemic holding citizens indoors, you can already imagine how everyone retreated to the comfort brought by the internet. With this, many internet providers enjoy the increased use of individuals of their services which is a good thing for them. They then capitalize on this to boost their sales.  

Below are some of the opportunities internet providers can maximize in the post-pandemic era.  

  1. Entertainment 

Living in a pandemic is one bad news after another. Before, some people may find refuge when meeting up with loved ones. With them, you can simply live in the moment and at least forget your troubles. Unfortunately, COVID-19 dampened this. Although you might not have people you care about sitting within reach, your internet provider makes it possible to put a shine on your dreary day. 

Since people remain indoors, it’s much easier to get bored. Usually, this boredom tends to be the root of creativity. Because of bored people, many mobile apps quickly skyrocketed to fame, especially those that circulate videos around. Whether it’s to get a good laugh or to learn some new and interesting facts, you can rely on apps like these. 

Speaking of videos, streaming services are more in now that people spend too much time indoors. With multiple shows and movies within your reach, it’s easy to say how quickly you can get lost through it all. However, if you want to have a smooth, high-definition quality in your binge-watching, you should look for an IPS that offers high internet speed to keep up. 

In line with apps quickly rising to fame, there’s a likely chance you might try something new and give online gaming a try. Because it’s online, many game servers tend to go international. So, this can be your opportunity to meet new people with only a screen and an avatar in the way. But what matters here is you get to have fun with strangers or friends alike. If that’s enough, you can also record yourself playing so other people can watch your gameplay and accompany you in this experience. 

However, online gaming comes with issues, and one of those is lag. Since many people tend to join a single server, you might encounter too much lag that prevents you from enjoying the game. Not only that but your connection with your fellow gaming friends might get cut off because of it. So, if you want to keep up with them, you should do the same with your streaming services and choose an IPS package that can give you high internet speed to help reduce lag. 

Staying indoors and finding fun in browsing the internet or playing online games remain in trend even after the peak of the pandemic. People learned their lessons and chose to remain in the comfort of their homes most of the time. So, internet providers can capitalize on this since the demand for better internet connectivity will remain high even in the post-pandemic era.

  1. Communication 

As mentioned earlier, most humans aren’t solitary creatures. Thankfully, you have the internet to keep you up-to-date with the goings-on of the world. Here, you can view the latest news or catch up with your loved ones living so far away once you send a message their way. Furthermore, many social media have integrated live streaming into their systems, so it’s easier for the viewers to watch a live event without leaving the house. 

It is relevant because travel restrictions remain in place to ensure that the virus does not spread. Since people find travel restrictions a hassle, they only chose to contact their loved ones via mobile devices or through social media platforms. This way, they keep themselves updated on the happenings around them without jeopardizing their health safety. 

For internet providers, this is a time for them to promote their services by introducing promo bundles that will entice customers to avail themselves.

  1. Business 

There’s no doubt that many establishments were affected by the pandemic. Restaurants that used to be packed full over the weekends are now empty, with fresh ingredients going to waste. The same goes for bars open late into the night for partygoers. Malls that bustle with shoppers during sales and holidays are left empty. Schools with children running amok and screaming are now closed down for everyone’s safety. 

Luckily, as the pandemic went on, these business owners slowly adapted to the online world. Food establishments can still stay afloat by accepting take-outs and deliveries using the internet. Various businesses have made an online platform to showcase their products, and it doesn’t hurt that going online broadens their reach for potential customers. 

However, online learning tends to be trickier for schools than other business transactions. Most children grew up with the traditional learning system, which has them sitting in class while the teacher’s in front of them discussing the lesson for the day.  

Since both parties can only interact through a screen, it can get extremely challenging, especially if some have spotty connections. And that’s not yet including how students learn differently. Be that as it may, choosing or upgrading into the appropriate IPS package can resolve some of those hurdles and, hopefully, help ease everyone into online learning. 

Simply put, it will become an opportunity for internet providers to re-assess the strength and coverage of their service to provide a quality and seamless experience to their users.

Conclusion 

Before, the internet was nothing more but idle entertainment for a good majority of society. But ever since the pandemic hit, what used to hold your attention idly now became your only tool to keep in touch with the outside world. By using the internet, you can adapt to this significant change while your internet provider offers you the opportunity to use it to the fullest. Internet providers can then capitalize on the increased use of customers of their services.