An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing and using the Internet. Internet Service Providers come in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise privately owned. Internet services typically provided by ISPs include Internet access, Internet transit, domain name registration, web hosting, and Usenet service and co location.
At the advent, the Internet (originally ARPAnet) was used only as a network between government research laboratories and participating departments of universities. Companies and Organizations could use Internet by direct connection to the backbone, or by arrangements through other connected companies. Only in the late 1980's the Internet was open up for commercial use to the general public and later World Wide Web was introduced. The first Internet service providers to the general public in the world, for a monthly fee, were established in Australia and the United States Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1989. The World became the first commercial ISP in the US. The first customer was served in November 1989. The first ISP's generally offered dial-up connections, using the public telephone network to provide last-mile connections to their customers. The barriers to entry for dial-up ISPs were low and many providers emerged through the years.

The history of the internet in India began with the launch of the Educational Research Network (ERNET) in 1986. The first publicly available internet service in India was launched by state-owned Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) on 14 August 1995.

• ISPs provide Internet access, employing a range of technologies to connect users to their network.Available technologies have ranged from computer modems with acoustic couplers to telephone lines, to television cable (CATV), Wi-Fi, and fiber optics.


• For users and small businesses, traditional options include copper wires to provide dial-up, DSL, typically asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), cable modem or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) (typically basic rate interface). Using fiber-optics to end users is called Fiber To The Home or similar names.


• For customers with more demanding requirements (such as medium-to-large businesses, or other ISPs) can use higher-speed DSL (such as single-pair high-speed digital subscriber line), Ethernet, metropolitan Ethernet, gigabit Ethernet, Frame Relay, ISDN Primary Rate Interface, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and synchronous optical networking (SONET).


• Wireless access is another option, including cellular and satellite Internet access.

Lists of Indian Internet Service Providers are given below:

• BSNL – servicing all of India except Mumbai and Delhi. Triple-play Broadband Services provided by ADSL and VDSL. Also providing internet services over GPRS, 3G, as well as WiMax.


• MTNL – servicing Mumbai and Delhi. Triple-play Broadband Services provided by ADSL under the “Tri-Band” brand. Also providing GPRS and 3G internet services.

Both companies are also pioneering 3G services in selected circles. BSNL has also started EVDO services since November, 2007.