Level 3's side of the story

Patrick W. Gilmore patrick at ianai.net
Sat Oct 8 03:27:09 UTC 2005


On Oct 7, 2005, at 7:13 PM, William Allen Simpson wrote:

>> http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/ 
>> story/10-07-2005/0004164041&EDATE=
>> "On October 6, Level 3, as it had repeatedly advised Cogent it  
>> would, terminated free traffic exchange with Cogent.  Because  
>> Internet users, apparently without notice from Cogent and through  
>> no fault of their own,
>
> I don't remember seeing this public notice from Level(3) posted....
> Wouldn't that be "without notice from Level(3)"?

Every peering agreement I have seen includes an NDA.  Most certainly  
notified Cogent, and almost certainly had no legal right to issue a  
press release.


>> have been impacted, Level 3 has, effective immediately, re- 
>> established a free connection to Cogent.  In order to allow  
>> Internet users to make alternative arrangements,
>
> Splendid, that gives the world sufficient time to accept Cogent's  
> offer
> of 1 year free service.

I note that connecting to Cogent after November 9th will still give  
you only partial transit to the Internet - in fact, far less of the  
Internet than connecting to Level 3.  (Despite Cogent's claims  
otherwise.)


>> we will maintain this connection until 6:00 a.m. ET, November 9,  
>> 2005.  The effectiveness of this arrangement of course depends on  
>> Cogent's willingness to maintain their side of the traffic exchange.
>>
> At which time Level(3) will have had time to purchase transit, as it
> will be a "tier 2" hoisted on its own petard.

Is there any particular reason you think Level 3 will buy transit?   
Or that they give a rat's ass what tier _you_ think they are?

Perhaps Cogent will have had time to buy transit?

Or perhaps - just perhaps - the Internet will be bifurcated for the  
time being.  There is nothing intrinsically wrong with an Internet  
which isn't fully connected.   Each business will work out its own  
business needs and use the transit provider(s) they see fit.

I am a bit confused about why so many people think this is such a bad  
thing.  Personally, I believe there is room in the market for partial  
transit providers.  I guess that theory is about to be tested.

-- 
TTFN,
patrick



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