ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. It is generally a company or an association which provides a connection to the Internet of which it is one of the links to customers. ISPs mostly provide more than just internet.
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The CIAF
The Commercial Internet Service Provider is managed by a company. In USA, the most famous are AT&T Internet, Verizon Internet, Xfinity Internet, Cox Internet, Spectrum Internet… They provide boxes that integrate various functionalities, and in particular the modem.
The AISP
The FAIA designates an Associative Internet Service Provider. Every country has their own system and big companies. there are several associations of this type:
- Data networks that provides privacy
- Secure internet service providers
They defend fundamental freedoms in the digital world, sometimes in partnership with associations.
What does an ISP do?
Internet service providers offer multiple services, whether customers are connected by cable, fiber optics, copper or even the satellite network. The deployment plan for very high speed throughout the territory, trivializes the use of the ISP.
The internet is divided into international and national ISPs. National ISPs are further divided into Regional ISPs, and Regional ISPs into Local ISPs. This helps to reduce the routing table size.
Features
There are also wireless Internet service providers, or glints, which provide Internet access through a wireless network. Many ISPs not only provide accessibility but also some related services like email and web hosting.
Some top providers are Netcom, Erols and Concentric. These ISPs charge a monthly fee to provide Internet access. Space on the ISP’s server is reserved for clients to manage websites. Some ISPs are commercial in nature, while others are run by governments and educational and non-profit organizations.
The Triple and Quadruple play offers
The services offered by Internet service providers are numerous. The “Triple play” offer is a contract by which an operator offers three services:
- Broadband or very high-speed Internet access, generally unlimited;
- Landline telephony, unlimited in developed countries and limited in some countries;
- Television and occasionally video stream services.
You can thus have a hundred free channels.
The “Quadruple play” offer adds mobile telephony to this. The majority of providers offer access to e-mail. Some of them offer website hosting offers, or even a roaming or roaming service that allows customers to connect anywhere in the world.
It is advisable to check if the offer to which you subscribe does not include hidden costs: deliberately vague documents which would conceal that the box is not included in the package,
which would lead you to pay three to four euros more per month.
Some providers charge their customers prohibitive termination fees or the security deposit. It is better to be vigilant.
FAIA offers
FAIAs offer a range of services, sometimes free of charge, such as the transfer of temporary files, an events calendar, etc. Others are granted to members who pay their subscription, such as the VNP or virtual private network.
In particular, it allows organizations like Reporters Without Borders to provide journalists with something to communicate.
How does an ISP work?
The user is attached to his access provider thanks to a local loop which can be made up of copper or fiber-optic cables (the most widespread Internet access is copper cables for now), television cable, optical fiber or more rarely satellite such as SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. The access provider is itself connected to the Internet through:
- IP transit;
- peer-to-peer or peering interconnection.
In general, the access provider combines the two processes to connect to the Internet.
