Concept in Definition ABC

When you connect to Internet, either through modem (is there anyone there to do it that way?), ADSL / cable or through 3G / 4G, there is a whole infrastructure behind that allows you to reach the content and services offered in the large network of networks.

The most visible face of this infrastructure is a series of companies, large or small, that we tend to associate with operators, but whose profile Is wider.

ISPs (acronyms that respond to Internet Service Provider) are companies that provide Internet access services to end users, whether they are individuals or companies, or forms of presence on the web (web pages, e-mail addresses, ...), or good both.

An ISP can be both a large operator providing all services, and a small local company providing only a subset of these, with an entire intermediate gradation very varied.

When the Internet started to become popular in the early / mid-1990s, many people used to to contract the different services to different companies, as well as to trust a myriad of small local ISPs or very local.

The emergence of small ISPs was due in large part to the hesitant entry of telecommunications operators into the Internet environment.

Back then, most of us were running modems (2,400 bps or 14,400 bps at the most), calling local numbers, so the large telephone operators only had to offer one number from telephone local infrastructure with a basic access infrastructure, while small specialized ISPs could further exploit their greater flexibility to offer complete access packs and added services.

The size of the large operators also delayed changes in strategy corporate and made novelties take time to be incorporated into the Catalogue of products and services of these, something that contrasted with the much smaller structure of the local ISPs and, therefore, their flexibility to deal with the changes.

With the advent of ADSL technology and, even more so, cable technology, small ISPs began to not be able to keep up with the pace of business. large operators, who had understood that they had to change their business model and become more flexible to adapt to the new dynamics of market.

In the early / mid-first decade of the new century, many mid-size ISPs were acquired by carriers. Currently, a business model that works quite well is for ISPs to offer service over the copper or cable infrastructure of large operators, thus becoming operators virtual.

The entry into the scene of mobile connectivity through smartphones has also been a minefield for small ISPs, who have not been able to enter this sector more than virtually, as in the case we have just explained, using the infrastructure of a large operator.

The market that has been left to local or small ISPs (remember that, in turn, operators also behave like ISPs, since following the definition, they offer access and presence services on the Internet) is to offer more tailored services to companies and individuals.

If we look closely, although many companies and individuals use services that go beyond the pure connectivity offered by the Large operators, such as web hosting or mail, many more turn to providers specialized in these matters, ISPs that, totally or partially leaving aside the aspect of providing connectivity to their customers, have turned to offering more specialized of hosting (web page hosting) and email.

At a private level, many end users use free webmail services provided by companies such as Google or Microsoft, from web pages such as WordPress or Blogger (Google), on the connection of a operator.

One area in which ISPs continue to "play" is that of the internal infrastructure of the network of networks, which users do not see

For example, packet routing, DNS services for domain name resolution... There are even ISPs of greater or lesser size specialized in this type of services, some not working with the Username final, if not with large providers and operators.

Fotolia photos: Maria / D_V_A

ISP Topics