You may think that signing up with an internet provider will get you fast and reliable internet but that’s where you’re wrong. Most internet providers have misleading ads when it comes to internet speeds. On top of that, they also leave out plenty of information when discussing their services and internet options.

The first few weeks may be smooth but give your provider a couple of weeks. By then, you’ll realize you made a mistake in trusting them. We’re spilling out the ten things internet providers hide from potential customers. First-hand knowledge of these secrets will empower you to choose your internet provider wisely.

Secret #1: “You have to use our sub-standard modem.”

When opting for cable internet, your provider will hook you up with their own modem. The company-issued modem is usually sub-standard in terms of quality and performance. It doesn’t handle multi-source traffic effectively and you won’t be able to use it with other providers – in case you decide to switch.

Secret #2: “It pays to have customer service. No really.”

Not everyone does this but a handful of internet providers are guilty of charging their customers for “premium” customer support. For around $1 per minute, you can talk to an assistant over the phone any time you need help – but that’s not all. Customer assistants dig into the details and the troubleshooting could take minutes, causing your fees to mount up.

Secret #3: “We don’t like it when you use other ISP networks.”

When visiting websites or downloading files outside of your ISP’s network, your internet provider is forced to pay the recipients. To avoid penalties, they have a policy that limits customers to their own ISP network.

Secret #4: “Sorry, we forgot about IMAP.”

An internet provider may not have an IMAP server but those who do fail to talk about it. Basically, an IMAP server lets you save emails via your ISP without additional cost. Internet providers with IMAP don’t mention it because it costs them money to save your emails for as long as their company exists.

Secret #5: “We really don’t care about Spam.”

Internet providers offer Spam-blockers along with their email services. However, some of them don’t work at all! Spam emails still go through even after activating the feature.

Secret #6: “We actually limit your bandwidth.”

An internet provider designates a central router for a particular area. Each router can handle multiple users at once but it has its limits. When you and your neighbors go online at the same time, the central router in your area is at increased risk of overloading. When that happens, your internet connection might get dropped.

To make sure that everyone stays connected online, almost all internet providers limit each user’s bandwidth. While its intentions are good, bandwidth throttling happens unexpectedly. Some internet providers continue to throttle data throughout the day – even outside of peak hours.

Secret #7: “We cheat on speed tests.”

Most internet providers know when you’re trying to test your current connection. When you perform speed tests, an internet provider will give you a temporary boost in bandwidth and prioritize you amongst other users. That way, speed tests will reflect blazing fast speeds.

Secret #8: “Your location affects your internet speed.”

On most occasions, choosing or upgrading to a higher bandwidth won’t matter. The speed on your contract is only the maximum internet speed you can get. If you live far from the central router, your speed is still limited by your location. The further you are from the central router, the slower your internet will be.

Secret #9: “We are legally allowed to spy on you if the government wants it.”

When a law similar to ACTA and SOPA gets implemented, internet providers will be forced to monitor your data – even in the absence of a court order. An internet provider will convince you they value your privacy but in reality, they will spy on your data because the government says so.

Secret #10: “We can keep your browsing history.”

When the government enacts a law which legalizes storage of browsing history, an internet provider will be able to store your private browsing history. FBI is already trying to push a similar law.

Many Internet providers will know which websites you visit and how many times you access them. If not a law, the government can still mandate an ISP to save the private browsing history of just about anyone.