The Internet is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. And while a lot of people do not use it for anything more than the basics (watching goofy videos and checking their e-mail), a growing number of people across the country are expanding their forays into the online world on a regular basis. For a lot of people, major gaming, a lot of profitable working or some extremely useful education is happening online on a regular basis. There are plenty of different kinds of Internet, and each one is well suited to the needs of different people.
For instance, there is still dial-up Internet. If you are on a tight budget and only go to basic sites, you might still find that this option is useful for you. Keep in mind that with phone lines becoming more expensive every year, dial-up might actually be more expensive than some of the less expensive fast options.
Then there is DSL service. This is a type of line which does not need to have a phone line (although it does require the same type of wiring as a phone would), and is fairly fast and always on. These have the advantage of pretty well balancing a generally reasonable price with okay speeds. If you intend to download, work or play a lot, bring a book to read because this is really nothing special on the speed front.
There is also satellite service, which basically transmits your Internet on unused TV channels specially made for the purpose. A great example of this extremely fast service is direct tv internet. If you can find it for a reasonable price, snap it up, because the more people who do, the less expensive it is going to get because of the ultimate economy of large numbers. This is the way to work, play or download effectively online without feeling like you are trying to grow a beard.