Networks

Dec 5, 2019

What is IP Transit?

Only a few of the world’s largest internet backbone providers get transit-free status, exchanging all of their traffic with other backbone providers via peering.

Alas, downstream internet service providers (ISPs), content providers, and other internet operators must purchase at least some upstream “transit” in order to connect their internal networks to the internet at large.

Dec 3, 2019

Sharing a Year's Worth of Telecom Data Around the Globe

As another year comes to a close, we're looking at where we've been in 2019. Quite literally, too.

This year, the TeleGeography team shared research around the globe, hitting six continents and more than 20 different countries.

Nov 25, 2019

IP VPN, DIA, and EVPN, Explained

What's the difference between VPN, DIA, and EVPN, you ask?

Where to start? Here are some key definitions that we use in our research.

Nov 14, 2019

What Would Russia's Domestic Internet Look Like?

"Technological sovereignty." That's one way author Justin Sherman captures Russia's recent efforts to develop a domestic internet—a project that might allow them to disconnect from the global internet altogether.

It's a fascinating story that delves into Russia's motivation, disconnection tests, and the potential influence on other nations.

Oct 29, 2019

50 Years Ago Today the First Message Was Sent Over the ARPANET

It's a big day in internet history.

On October 29, 1969, Professor Len Kleinrock and his team of graduate students at UCLA sent the very first message over a network of computers that would eventually become the internet.

Oct 22, 2019

The State of Intra-Regional Connectivity in Latin America

How does Latin America connect? How does this connectivity affect regional prices? And what role does the United States play?

Oct 16, 2019

You're Building a Submarine Cable Where?

It turns out that the Arctic isn't the easiest place to lay a cable.

Expensive and logistically challenging, Arctic cables are at the center of one of our recommended reads for this month. If you're up for a story that includes forged signatures, Arctic ambitions, and the dynamite quote, “The question is not why Elizabeth did it, but rather, how did she think she’d get away with it?”—then keep reading, my friends.

Oct 8, 2019

Is Your Planned Submarine Cable Doomed?

Anyone who follows the submarine cable sector knows that a lot of cables have been built in recent years—and investments in new cables keep coming.

I gave a presentation at Submarine Networks World 2019 in Singapore titled "Is Your Planned Submarine Cable Doomed?" My goal was not to identify particular planned cables that I think are doomed to fail, but rather to highlight some of the key flaws we often see when assessing cable operator business plans on behalf of investors.

Oct 3, 2019

Signals of Success: What to Look for in Submarine Cable Press Releases

I'm a cynic and you can be one, too!

This was the title of Tim Stronge's presentation during a recent webinar we did with our friends at Ciena.

Our favorite neighborhood cynic came bearing an important public service announcement for webinar attendees: just because you see a flashy slide deck or press release about a new submarine cable doesn't mean it's going to happen.

Sep 24, 2019

5G Rollouts Put the Pedal to the Metal

Lots of 5G news this week. Most notably, almost a quarter-billion new LTE connections were added worldwide in Q2 2019, according to 5G Americas.

You can read all about 5G mania below. There are also some worthy headlines about internet speeds, India's telecom battle, and a great interview between Recode's Kara Swisher and Huawei’s chief security officer in the U.S. Andy Purdy.