Equality and asymmetry in network designs

Wed Aug 26 03:48:49 UTC 1998

> ---------
> And the biggest question of all.  The USA is still the largest
> net exporter
> of data bits in the world.  How much should US providers be paying non-USA
> providers to accept the bits?  Right now, other than some NSF-funded
> connectivity such as Sprint ICM, most non-USA commercial networks must
> pay the full cost of the inter-continental circuits.  Should the Internet
> adopt a charging model like international voice settlements.
> ---------

Actually, I do not know of any non-US provider who shares trans-oceanic cost
with a US provider. They are all considered "customers." Given that
aggregate links across the Pacific is above 1.6 Gbps, we are out of the old
"Sprint ICM" days. We're talking serious money at stake.

Barry