cogent+ Level(3) are ok now

Tue Nov 1 19:30:28 UTC 2005

On Nov 1, 2005, at 10:04 AM, John Curran wrote:

> At 9:40 AM -0500 11/1/05, Patrick W. Gilmore wrote:
>>
>> I think everyone agrees that unbalanced ratios can create a  
>> situation where one side pays more than the other.  However,  
>> assuming something can be used to keep the costs equal (e.g. cold- 
>> potato?),
>
> Cold-potato only addresses the long-haul; there's still cost on the  
> receiving network
> even if its handed off at the closest interconnect to the final  
> destination(s).

Which is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY irrelevant to the peer network.  If  
your network can't cover the cost of delivering bits from the DSLAM  
to the CPE, why in the hell are you in this business?

You've been doing this for a very, very long time John.  I know you  
know better.  Stop trying to confuse the newbies.

>> I do not see how one network can tell another: "You can't send me  
>> what my customers are requesting of you."
>
> Depeering seems to say exactly that, no?

Only if you are Cogent / L3 (or Cogent / FT, or Cogent / Teleglobe,  
or Cogent / $NEXT-DEPEER).  Any other time a network gets de-peered,  
the bits still flow.

So I repeat, how can an eyeball network tell a content provider: "You  
can't send me what my customers are requesting of you."

The only way I can think to do that is to intentionally congest the  
path.  (Which many eyeball networks actually do, now that I think  
about it.)  But that might have an adverse affect on your customer  
growth.

>> If your business model is to provide flat-rate access, it is not  
>> _my_ responsibility to ensure your customers do not use more  
>> access than your flat-rate can compensate you to deliver.
>
> Agreed...  I'm not defending the business model, only pointing out  
> that some folks may find it easier to bill their "peers" than  
> customers.

I doubt they will succeed - at least in the long run, or even in the  
majority of cases.  But stranger things have happened.

Just remember, turn-about it fair play.  So they should be careful  
what they wish for.

-- 
TTFN,
patrick