Frequently Asked Questions

Q— Is higher pricing an indication that I will receive a faster, better connection from an ISP?

A— Not necessarily. Higher prices sometimes reflect the provider's having invested in fast connections, such as OC12 or OC48 backbone links. The mere presence of such links, however, does not necessarily mean that your connections will be faster. A poorly designed combination of high-speed links and low-speed clouds, for example, might negatively affect the provider's overall performance. The bottom line is that price is just one factor to consider. Even more important is a sound network topology that offers enough redundancy and adequate bandwidth to fit your needs.

Q— What causes bottlenecks in the ISP's backbone?

A— Bottlenecks are caused by oversubscription or overutilization of bandwidth on a physical link.

Q— When I connect to an ISP, should I buy my own equipment?

A— There are pros and cons to buying your own equipment; only you can decide whether this is the optimal approach for your organization's needs. First, find out whether your ISP insists on your using its equipment (some do). Even if the ISP will let you purchase your own CPE, it probably will stipulate certain hardware and software that conform to its system. Cost issues are likely to factor significantly in your decision. Can your organization afford the capital investment, including upgrades and expansion as needed? By buying the equipment, you might also be committing yourself to maintaining it, although some ISPs will agree to maintain (for a fee) equipment owned by the customer.

In many countries, government regulations impose strict limitations on the equipment used. Understanding the available options is important.

Q— If my connection to an ISP goes down because of equipment failure, who is responsible for what?

A— It all depends on the service you are getting from the ISP. The preset demarcation point defines the line of responsibility between you and the provider.