Internet service provider

An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that helps people connect to and use the Internet. ISPs can be different types, such as companies that sell their services, groups owned by the community, organizations that do not aim to make a profit, or private businesses.

ISPs offer many important services. These can include giving people a way to connect to the Internet, helping websites talk to each other, registering names for websites, hosting websites, and providing space for servers in special buildings. All these services make it possible for everyone to use the Internet easily and effectively.

History

The Internet started as a network used by government research labs and universities. Over time, other companies and groups joined by connecting directly or through other services, sometimes using tools like dial-up. By the late 1980s, the Internet was opening up for public and commercial use, with restrictions being removed by 1991 after the introduction of the World Wide Web.

In the 1980s, services like CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online let people do things like email, but full Internet access wasn’t easy for everyone. The first companies that offered direct Internet access for a monthly fee started in Australia and the United States in 1989. One of these was The World in Brookline, Massachusetts, which became the first commercial ISP in the US in November 1989. These early services used dial-up connections through telephone lines.

Later, cable and telephone companies used their existing wires to offer faster broadband connections, which led to fewer choices for customers in many areas. In 1995, a major change happened when restrictions on commercial use of the Internet were removed.

Net neutrality

Main article: Net neutrality in the United States

In 2014, there was discussion about whether Internet service providers should be allowed to create faster lanes for certain content. In 2015, rules were put in place to keep the Internet fair for everyone by treating it like a utility service. However, these rules were later removed in 2018.

Provisions for low-income families

Since December 31, 2021, a program in the U.S. has helped families that qualify by giving them a discount on their Internet service each month.

Classifications

Access providers

Access provider ISPs give people and businesses ways to connect to the Internet. They use many kinds of technology, from old phone line methods to modern Wi-Fi and fiber-optics. For homes and small businesses, common ways to connect include dial-up, DSL, cable modems, or ISDN. Some places now offer Fiber To The Home connections.

Bigger businesses can use faster connections like gigabit Ethernet or Frame Relay. There are also wireless access options, such as cellular networks and satellite Internet access.

Mailbox providers

A mailbox provider helps people and groups manage email addresses and store messages. They use special servers to send, receive, and keep emails safe. Some mailbox providers also offer Internet access, but others, like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Outlook.com, focus just on email.

Hosting ISPs

Internet hosting services give people and businesses places to store websites, emails, and other online files. They can also offer extra services like virtual servers or cloud storage.

Transit ISPs

ISPs sometimes need to connect to other, bigger ISPs to reach more parts of the Internet. These bigger ISPs are called upstream ISPs. Smaller ISPs pay these bigger ones for access. This helps everyone get online, even if they are far apart.

Virtual ISPs

A virtual ISP buys Internet services from another company and then sells those services to its own customers. This lets people get online using the networks and tools of the company they bought from.

Free ISPs

Some ISPs give away their service for free. They often show ads while people are online, which helps pay for the service. Others are run by volunteers without aiming to make money.

Wireless ISP

A wireless Internet service provider (WISP) gives Internet access using wireless technology. This can include regular Wi-Fi networks or special equipment that works on different radio frequencies.

ISPs in rural regions

In many rural areas, there is often only one company providing Internet service. This can make Internet prices higher and service quality lower than in cities, where many companies compete. This difference can make it hard for some people in rural areas to get good, affordable Internet.

Satellite Internet services

Altnets

Altnets are local broadband networks. They are created to offer an alternative to the main Internet service providers in a specific area. These networks help give people more choices for their internet service.

Peering

ISPs can connect with each other at special places called peering points or Internet exchange points. This lets them send data between their networks without paying extra fees. These special connections help data travel the fastest and most reliable way possible.

Some ISPs, called Tier 1 ISPs, don’t need to pay other ISPs to send data because they only have customers or other ISPs connected to them. These Tier 1 ISPs are all connected in a way that makes sure data can move smoothly between them. Internet exchange points are places where many networks meet, and they can be found in buildings called data centers.

Law enforcement and intelligence assistance

In many countries, Internet service providers must help law enforcement agencies by letting them watch some of the information sent through the Internet. This can include storing browsing history so that governments can access it if needed. For example, the United States and the United Kingdom have laws that require this help.

Some intelligence agencies also monitor Internet traffic. In the U.S., a program called PRISM has been discussed because it watches a lot of Internet traffic, which has raised questions about privacy. Modern Internet service providers use special tools to collect data and send it to law enforcement or intelligence groups.