- Tier 2 network
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A Tier 2 Network is an Internet service provider who engages in the practice of peering with other networks, but who still purchases IP transit to reach some portion of the Internet.
Tier 2 providers are the most common providers on the Internet as it is much easier to purchase transit from a Tier 1 network than it is to peer with them and then attempt to push into becoming a Tier 1 carrier.
The term Tier 3 is sometimes also used to describe networks who solely purchase IP transit from other networks (typically Tier 2 networks) to reach the Internet. The majority of Tier 3 networks are usually single rather than multi-homed and therefore are vulnerable to depeering disputes.
See also
- Tier 1 network
- IP Transit
- Peering point
- Network Access Point
List of large or important tier 2 IPv4 ISPs
- Vodafone AS3209 (formerly ARCOR AG Germany) (buys transit from Level3/AS3356, GBLX/AS3549)
- Virgin Media/ Virgin Media Business
- PCCW Global AS3491 (formerly Beyond the Network Access (BTN)) (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549)
- France Télécom AS5511 (buys transit from Verizon/AS701, possible paid peering from Sprint/AS1239)
- Tele2 (formerly SWIPNet) AS1257 (buys transit from Sprint/AS1239)
- tw telecom/as4323 (Sprint Nextel Corporation/as1239 transit)
- nLayer AS4436 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549)
- Internap
- Interoute AS8928 (buys transit from Sprint/AS1239 and Tinet, formerly Tiscali International Network/AS3257)
- MZIMA AS25973 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356 and GBLX/AS3549)
- Comcast AS7922 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356)
- Sling Broadband AS33724 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356) and Cogent/AS174)
- Spirit Communications AS2711 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549 and Tinet/AS3257)
The ASxxx refer to each network's IANA-assigned AS number.
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