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An Internet service provider (ISP, also called Internet access provider or IAP) is a company that offers its customers access to the Internet
Internet

The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available server and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory....
. The ISP connects to its customers using a data transmission technology appropriate for delivering Internet Protocol
Internet protocol

Internet protocol may refer to:*The Internet Protocol, a specific protocol implementation in the Internet protocol suite*The Internet protocol suite, a set of communications protocols that are used for the Internet...
 datagrams, such as dial-up, DSL, cable modem
Cable modem

File:Sb5120.jpgA cable modem is a type of modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a cable television infrastructure....
 or dedicated high-speed interconnects.

ISPs may provide Internet e-mail
E-mail

Electronic mail, often abbreviated as e-mail, email, E-Mail, or eMail, is any method of creating, transmitting, or storing primarily text-based human communications with digital communications systems....
 accounts to users which allow them to communicate with one another by sending and receiving electronic messages through their ISPs' servers.






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An Internet service provider (ISP, also called Internet access provider or IAP) is a company that offers its customers access to the Internet
Internet

The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available server and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory....
. The ISP connects to its customers using a data transmission technology appropriate for delivering Internet Protocol
Internet protocol

Internet protocol may refer to:*The Internet Protocol, a specific protocol implementation in the Internet protocol suite*The Internet protocol suite, a set of communications protocols that are used for the Internet...
 datagrams, such as dial-up, DSL, cable modem
Cable modem

File:Sb5120.jpgA cable modem is a type of modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a cable television infrastructure....
 or dedicated high-speed interconnects.

ISPs may provide Internet e-mail
E-mail

Electronic mail, often abbreviated as e-mail, email, E-Mail, or eMail, is any method of creating, transmitting, or storing primarily text-based human communications with digital communications systems....
 accounts to users which allow them to communicate with one another by sending and receiving electronic messages through their ISPs' servers. (As part of their e-mail service, ISPs usually offer the user an e-mail client
E-mail client

An e-mail client is a frontend computer program used to manage e-mail.Sometimes, the term e-mail client is also used to refer to any agent acting as a Client toward an e-mail server, independently of it being a real MUA, a relaying server, or a human typing directly on a telnet terminal....
 software package, developed either internally or through an outside contract arrangement.) ISPs may provide other services such as remotely storing data file
Data file

A data file is a computer file which stores data for use by a computer Application software or System software. It generally does not refer to files that contain instructions or code to be executed , or to files which define the operation or structure of an application or system ; but specifically to information used as input, and/or wri...
s on behalf of their customers, as well as other services unique to each particular ISP.

End-User-to-ISP Connection

ISPs employ a range of technologies to enable consumers to connect to their network.

For home users and small business
Small business

A small business is a business that is independently owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. The legal definition of "small" often varies by country and industry, but is generally under 100 employees in the United States and under 50 employees in the European Union....
es, the most popular options include dial-up, DSL (typically Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a form of Digital subscriber line, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide....
, ADSL), broadband wireless, cable modem
Cable modem

File:Sb5120.jpgA cable modem is a type of modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a cable television infrastructure....
, fiber to the premises (FTTH), and Integrated Services Digital Network
Integrated Services Digital Network

File:T-Concept-ISDN.jpgIntegrated Services Digital Network is a telephone system network. Prior to the ISDN, the phone system was viewed as a way to transport voice, with some special services available for data....
 (ISDN) (typically basic rate interface
Basic rate interface

Basic rate interface is an Integrated Services Digital Network configuration defined in the physical layer standard I.430 produced by the International Telecommunication Union....
).

For customers with more demanding requirements, such as medium-to-large businesses, or other ISPs, DSL (often SHDSL or ADSL), Ethernet
Ethernet

Ethernet is a family of Data frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the Luminiferous aether....
, Metro Ethernet
Metro Ethernet

A Metro Ethernet is a computer network based on the Ethernet standard and which covers a metropolitan area. It is commonly used as a metropolitan access network to connect subscribers and businesses to a Wide Area Network, such as the Internet....
, Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet

Gigabit Ethernet is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a Data rate units#gigabit_per_second, as defined by the IEEE 802.3-2005 standard....
, Frame Relay
Frame relay

In the context of computer networking, frame relay consists of an efficient data transmission technique used to send digital information. It is a message forwarding "relay race" like system in which data packets, called data frames, are passed from one or many start-points to one or many destinations via a series of intermediate node points....
, ISDN (BRI
Basic rate interface

Basic rate interface is an Integrated Services Digital Network configuration defined in the physical layer standard I.430 produced by the International Telecommunication Union....
 or PRI
Primary rate interface

The primary rate interface is a telecommunications standard for carrying multiple DS0 voice and data transmissions between a network and a user....
), ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Asynchronous Transfer Mode is an electronic digital data transmission technology. ATM is implemented as a network protocol and was first developed in the mid 1980s....
, satellite Internet access
Satellite Internet access

Satellite Internet services are used in locations where terrestrial Internet access is not available and in locations which move frequently. Internet access via satellite is available worldwide, including vessels at sea and mobile land vehicles....
 and synchronous optical networking
Synchronous optical networking

Synchronous optical networking and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy , are two closely related multiplexing protocols for transferring multiple digital bit streams using lasers or light-emitting diodes over the same optical fiber....
 (SONET) are more likely to be used.

Typical home user connection

  • Dial Up
  • DSL
  • Broadband wireless access
    Broadband wireless access

    Wireless Broadband is a fairly new technology that provides high-speed wireless internet and computer networking access over a wide area....
  • Cable Internet
    Cable internet

    In telecommunications, cable Internet is a form of broadband Internet access that uses the cable television infrastructure. Like digital subscriber lines and Fiber to the premises, cable Internet bridges the Last mile from the Internet service provider to the subscriber....
  • FTTH
  • ISDN
  • WiFi
    WIFI

    WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a Variety radio format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by Forsythe Broadcasting....


Typical business type connection

  • DSL
  • SHDSL
  • Ethernet
    Ethernet

    Ethernet is a family of Data frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the Luminiferous aether....
     technologies


Locality

When using a dial-up or ISDN connection method, the ISP cannot determine the caller's physical location to more detail than using the number transmitted using an appropriate form of Caller ID
Caller ID

Caller ID, known also as Caller Identification , or more properly Calling Number Identification , is a telephone Custom Local Area Signaling Services, available on POTS lines, that transmits a caller number to the called party's telephone equipment during the ringing signal, or when the call is being set up but before the call i...
; it is entirely possible to e.g. connect to an ISP located in Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
 from the USA. Other means of connection such as cable
DOCSIS

Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification is an international standard developed by CableLabs and contributing companies that include ARRIS, BigBand Networks, Broadcom, Cisco, Conexant, Correlant, Harmonic, Intel, Motorola, Netgear, Terayon, and Texas Instruments....
 or DSL require a fixed registered connection node, usually associated at the ISP with a physical address.

ISP Interconnection

Just as their customers pay them for Internet access, ISPs themselves pay upstream ISPs for Internet access. An upstream ISP usually has a larger network than the contracting ISP and/or is able to provide the contracting ISP with access to parts of the Internet the contracting ISP by itself has no access to.

In the simplest case, a single connection is established to an upstream ISP and is used to transmit data to or from areas of the Internet beyond the home network; this mode of interconnection is often cascaded multiple times until reaching a Tier 1 carrier. In reality, the situation is often more complex. ISPs with more than one point of presence
Point of presence

A point-of-presence is an artificial demarcation point or network interface point between communications entities....
 (PoP) may have separate connections to an upstream ISP at multiple PoPs, or they may be customers of multiple upstream ISPs and may have connections to each one of them at one or more point of presence
Point of presence

A point-of-presence is an artificial demarcation point or network interface point between communications entities....
.

Peering

ISPs may engage in peering
Peering

Peering is voluntary interconnection of administratively separate Internet data network for the purpose of exchanging traffic between the customers of each network....
, where multiple ISPs interconnect at peering points or Internet exchange point
Internet Exchange Point

An Internet exchange point is a physical infrastructure that allows different Internet service providers to exchange Internet traffic between their networks by means of mutual peering agreements, which allow traffic to be exchanged without cost....
s (IXs), allowing routing of data between each network, without charging one another for the data transmitted—data that would otherwise have passed through a third upstream ISP, incurring charges from the upstream ISP.

ISPs requiring no upstream and having only customers (end customers and/or peer ISPs) are called Tier 1 ISPs.

Network hardware, software and specifications, as well as the expertise of network management personnel are important in ensuring that data follows the most efficient route, and upstream connections work reliably. A tradeoff between cost and efficiency is possible.

Virtual ISP

A Virtual ISP (VISP) is an operation which purchases services from another ISP (sometimes called a "wholesale ISP" in this context ) which allow the VISP
Visp

Visp is the capital of the district of Visp in the Cantons of Switzerland of Valais in Switzerland.Its population is around 7,000. The two valleys are Mattertal and Saastal....
s customers to access the Internet using services and infrastructure owned and operated by the wholesale ISP.

Free ISP


Free ISPs are Internet Service Providers (ISPs) which provide service free of charge. Many free ISPs display advertisements while the user is connected; like commercial television, in a sense they are selling the users' attention to the advertiser. Other free ISPs, often called freenet
Free-Net

A free-net was originally meant to mean a computer system which provides public access to a large number of resources including community information through text-based dialup....
s, are run on a nonprofit basis, usually with volunteer staff. There are also free shell providers and free web hosts.

Related services

  • Broadband Internet access
    Broadband Internet access

    Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just broadband, is high data rate Internet access?typically contrasted with Dial-up internet access over a 56k modem....
    • Fixed wireless access
      Broadband wireless access

      Wireless Broadband is a fairly new technology that provides high-speed wireless internet and computer networking access over a wide area....
    • Cable
      Cable modem

      File:Sb5120.jpgA cable modem is a type of modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a cable television infrastructure....
    • Triple play
      Triple play (telecommunications)

      In telecommunications, the triple play service is a marketing term for the provisioning of the two broadband services, Broadband Internet access and television, and one narrowband service, telephone, over a single broadband connection....
  • Internet hosting service
    Internet hosting service

    An Internet hosting service is a service that runs Internet servers, allowing organizations and individuals to serve content to the Internet. There are various levels of service and various kinds of services offered....
    • Web hosting service
      Web hosting service

      A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to provide their own website accessible via the World Wide Web....
    • E-mail hosting service
      E-mail hosting service

      An email hosting service is an Internet hosting service that runs email servers.Email hosting services usually offer premium email at a cost as opposed to advertising supported free email or free webmail....
    • DNS hosting service
      DNS hosting service

      A DNS hosting service is a service that runs Domain Name System servers. Most, but not all, domain name registrars include DNS hosting service with registration....
  • Dynamic DNS
    Dynamic DNS

    Dynamic Domain Name System is a method, protocol, or network service that provides the capability for a networked device, such as a router or computer system using the Internet Protocol Suite, to notify a domain name server to change, in real time the active DNS configuration of its configured hostnames, addresses or other information stored...


See also

  • Free-net
    Free-Net

    A free-net was originally meant to mean a computer system which provides public access to a large number of resources including community information through text-based dialup....
  • Internet backbone
    Internet backbone

    The Internet backbone refers to the main Trunking connections of the Internet. It is made up of a large collection of interconnected commercial, government, academic and other high-capacity data routes and core routers that carry data across the countries, continents and oceans of the world....
  • Network access point
    Network access point

    The four Network Access Points were defined under the U.S. National Information Infrastructure document as transitional data communications facilities at which Network Service Providers would exchange traffic, in replacement of the publicly-financed NSFNet Internet backbone....
  • Wireless internet service provider