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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAn internet access provider is an organization that connects a customer or a network to the Internet. It is more commonly called an internet service provider, or ISP. The connection can run over fiber, cable, DSL, fixed or mobile wireless, satellite or another technology. Supplying that connection is what makes a company an access provider. Anything else it sells is optional.
What an internet access provider does
The provider’s defining job is access. It gives you a path from your home, business or device to the wider Internet. Many providers also bundle email, web hosting, security software or voice service. These extras are common, but none of them is required for a company to count as an access provider.
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Is an ISP the same as an internet provider?
In everyday use, yes. “ISP”, “internet service provider”, “internet provider” and “internet access provider” all describe the same basic role: the company that supplies your connection. The differences show up only in legal and regulatory texts, which define terms for their own purposes (see below).
Access technologies an ISP can use
- Fiber: wired, optical connection to the premises.
- Cable: wired service delivered over cable-television infrastructure.
- DSL: wired service over telephone lines.
- Fixed wireless: a radio link to a fixed location.
- Mobile wireless: cellular data service.
- Satellite: a link through orbiting satellites.
The technology does not change the definition. A provider using any of these is still supplying Internet access.
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Is my website host or streaming service my ISP?
No, not automatically. A website host, cloud provider or online platform stores data or offers content that you reach through your connection. Your ISP provides the connection itself. One company can do both, as when a telecom firm sells broadband and also hosts websites. Even then, the two roles are separate. A simple test is to ask who delivers your Internet connection. That company is your access provider.
How U.S. law and regulators define related terms
The U.S. has no single definition that applies everywhere. Several terms are used for different purposes, and they are not interchangeable.
| Term | Where it comes from | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Internet access provider | 47 U.S.C. § 231 | For that statute, a person in the business of providing a computer and communications facility through which a customer may obtain Internet access. It excludes common carriers insofar as they provide only telecommunications services. |
| Broadband Internet access service | FCC rules | A mass-market retail service, by wire or radio, that lets users send and receive data from all or substantially all Internet endpoints. The rules state exclusions and cover functional equivalents. |
| Interactive computer service | A separate statutory category | A different legal concept from an ISP. |
| “Service provider” in copyright law | Copyright statute | Has its own definition, separate from the telecom definitions above. |
The statutory wording in the first row is specific to that provision, so don’t treat it as the definition in every context. The U.S. Code page for the statute was unavailable when checked, so confirm the current text in the official code before relying on it for legal advice.
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The FCC’s definition, in its own words
In Restoring Internet Freedom (FCC 17-166, 2017), the FCC defined broadband Internet access service as:
“A mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service, but excluding dial-up Internet access service.”
This remains a useful description of the service. The order is not evidence of the current legal classification, which has changed since 2017.
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Current U.S. regulatory status
This section is specific to the United States and could change. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute (Wex entry, last reviewed July 2026) reports that the Sixth Circuit’s 2025 decision set aside the FCC’s 2024 Title II reclassification and open-internet rules. It states that broadband Internet access service is currently treated as an information service. Transparency requirements and broadband consumer labels remain in effect.
The definition of an access provider is the same either way. What changes is how regulators treat the service.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Outside the United States
The everyday meaning carries over: the company that connects you to the Internet. Formal legal definitions vary by country and statute, and this article does not cover them.
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If you are comparing real providers
Knowing the definition is the first step. If you are choosing a provider, compare them on:
- availability at your exact address;
- access technology;
- performance;
- commercial terms such as price, contract length and fees;
- network-management practices.
In the U.S., broadband consumer labels require specified disclosures in these areas. Plan terms and availability change often, so check them with the provider.
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