Lecture 4.1 - The Providers of the internets!#
Two primary types of ISPs include cable and DSL (digital subscriber line) and traditionally run Category (Ethernet) cables and/or coaxial cables. However the population and emergence of fiber-optic cables.
An older but may continue to be present in remote or rural areas include dial-up, which utilizes a physical phone connection to deliver internet.
Local to St. Louis, Missouri#
Currently in St. Louis we have more popular internet Service Providers (ISPs) including Charter Communication (Spectrum), i3 Broadband, Gateway Fiber, AT&T, and many more. These deliver internet to the home via a network of cables run underground across the St. Louis region.
Other large ISPs include Comcast and Verizon.
Satellite Based Providers#
A few ISP’s including ViaSat, HughesNet and Starlink that are also available in the region. These providers work similar to the “ground” based ISPs, where the internet is connected via fiber to a ground-station that acts as a large antenna to send its signal to an orbiting satellite. The satellite than relays the signal to your home’s satellite dish that is connected to your home’s modem/router. The satellite dishes appear similar to your own or neighbors Dish Network, DirecTV, and other similar satellite tv providers.
What ISP’s Do#
In short, ISP’s is the company that provides internet to your home and businesses in your region. They can also provide email services, domain registration, web hosting, and others.
Some ISPs also include or bundle TV and phone services as part of their internet package since it relies on the same infrastructure.
You can dig deep into ISP’s, either inter-connects, network, etc. on the Wikipedia page here.
Organization of ISPs#
ISPs are split into different tiers: Tier 1, 2, and 3. The largest difference between them is that Tier 1 ISPs own/operate the infrastructure that other Tier 2 and 3 ISPs can utilize or ‘rent’ to run their business.
What are the ISPs responsible for#
ISPs are responsible for making sure you can access the internet, routing internet traffic, resolving domain names, and maintaining the network infrastructure that makes internet access possible.
Access is limited and provisioned by a subscribers chosen plan.
Selecting an ISP#
Selecting an internet service provider depends on location, speed, features, and affordability. It is very common for areas with multiple ISPs, regardless of tier, to have multiple offers to remain competitive with each other. Take time to research all of the available ISPs in your region using the Federal Communications Commission site. You can actually use the same site to look at coverage of cell-phone providers!