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1.
Generic business
underpinnings
This includes any licenses your state requires, your
federal and state employer ID numbers (for ISPs in the U.S.), your domain name
registration and trademark application, your business checking account and
banking relationship—along with a possible prepared credit line—and a merchant
account so that you can accept credit cards and direct checking account drafts.
2.
ISP billing and accounting
software
This can make or break your profitability and your
ability to maintain your business as you grow. A sizable industry has grown up
developing and offering customizable off-the-shelf ISP invoicing systems—many
for under $2,000.
Whatever billing program you buy should integrate
with a general ledger, and be able to track accounts receivable, accounts
payable, invoices, customers, usage, overages, and your checking register. Some
packages even provide instant profit/loss balance sheets—along with reports
that help you make better business decisions. You will also need a collection
agency to help you collect on bad debts; I don't know a single ISP that doesn't
have bad debts collection issues.
3.
Internet feed and local loop
In order for you to provide Internet access, you
have to get it from a regional or national backbone provider. The connection
between your provider and your physical location is called the local loop.
4.Your network
of servers
This includes your PC based servers that will handle
your primary functions, which include DNS, mail, Web (both regular: httpd and
secure: https), authentication, and news (if you don't outsource it). Theoretically,
you can do all this on just one PC, but in my opinion, anyone who starts an ISP
with fewer than four separate dedicated PC's is asking for trouble.