Provider

What services does a provider offer?

Providers offer services to both individuals and companies. Their main function is to provide Internet access, which can be done in various ways.

Digital Subscriber Line. Users access the internet via a telephone line. DSL is a widely available technology that is gradually being replaced by broadband connections — cable and fiber optics. DSL provides download speeds of 5 to 35 Mbps and upload speeds of 1 to 10 Mbps.

Cable Internet. The provider uses coaxial cable, which is also used for television. It has low latency, download speeds of 10 to 500 Mbps, and upload speeds of 5 to 50 Mbps.

Fiber optic internet. Provides higher speeds compared to DSL or cable. Fiber optic download speeds range from 250 to 1,000 Mbps, with upload speeds ranging from 250 to 1,000 Mbps.

Satellite Internet. Provided via communication satellites. Ground stations transmit Internet data in the form of radio waves to satellites in low Earth orbit. From the satellites, the data is sent to more distant ground stations. Satellite Internet is used in remote regions. Download speed ranges from 12 to 100 Mbps, upload speed is 3 Mbps.

Additional Internet services provided by the provider may include:

• domain name registration,
• web hosting,
• virtual server rental,
• placement of customer equipment in its data center,
• data backup,
• mobile commerce services,
• payment services.

How does a provider work?

An internet service provider has the equipment and access to telecommunications lines necessary for an internet presence in the geographical area it serves. All providers are connected to each other through network access points — publicly accessible network facilities on the internet backbone. Providers are divided into several tiers.

Tier-1 operators own the main submarine Internet backbones that connect continents. These companies have the most global reach and own enough physical network lines to independently transmit most of the traffic. Tier-1 companies usually sell access to the network to Tier-2 providers.

Tier-2 providers are national companies that provide services throughout the country. Tier-2 providers focus on commercial customers.

Tier-3 operators are regional or city providers that send traffic packets directly to the user. They connect customers to the Internet using another provider’s network. Tier-3 companies pay higher-level providers for access to Internet services.