If you’re one of the millions of broadband Internet cable and DSL subscribers in the U.S. who purchases an annual subscription to virus and malware protection services like McAfee and Norton Antivirus, you may be paying twice. Many of the online service providers are now offering “free” protection as part of the service they provide to you as your ISP.
Take Comcast, the largest cable ISP in the United States, for instance. If you already pay for Comcast High Speed Internet, you’re already getting McAfee Security Suite as part of the dollars you spend every month. All you have to do is download and install it. If you’re a Qwest DSL customer, the bundled MSN Premium also includes McAfee Virus Scan and Firewall, as well as Webroot SpySweeper. This protection only works if you download it, which many high speed customers don’t (I know I don’t use the McAfee from Comcast).
Verizon offers comparable support, but seems to extract an additional fee for anyone who wants it.
Bottom line here is if you’re a broadband Internet subscriber, you owe it to yourself to see what services your ISP is currently charging you for that you may not be taking advantage of. Are you paying twice for software and services?