Internet Service Provider (ISP)

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is an entity that provides access to the Internet. ISPs can provide Internet access through various means, including dial-up, DSL, cable, wireless and fiber-optic connections. A variety of entities serve as ISPs, including cable providers, mobile carriers, and telephone companies.

Internet services typically provided by ISPs can include;

• Internet Access - provides connectivity for a network or a computer/device to the Internet.
  
  
• Internet transit - routes traffic through multiple networks, which may include peering relationships.
  
  
• Internet Messaging - including email, webmail and phone messaging (SMS) services.
  
  
• Domain Name Registration - as a reseller/agent for a Domain Registrar.
  
  
• Web Hosting - provides individuals with shared website space on owned or rented servers.
  
  
• Colocation - or server hosting, provides dedicated servers and VPNs from a data center.

History

Internet service providers (ISPs)have come a long way since their early days of offering dial-up internet service. In the past, dial-up was the only option for those who wanted to access the internet. This meant that users had to connect their computer to a phone line and use a modem to connect to the internet. The speeds were slow (usually around 56 kbps), and the connection was often unreliable.

As technology progressed, ISPs began offering higher-speed connections using DSL or cable. These connections were much faster than dial-up (usually around 1 Mbps), but they were still slower than what is available today.

Now, ISPs are offering high-speed fiber-optic connections and unlimited data plans. As technology progresses, we are beginning to see new services like high-speed 5G home internet becoming much more widely available.

Connectivity

Internet connectivity refers to the ability of devices to connect to the Internet either through a routed connection where each device has its own IP address, or through a translated connection which uses a private addressing scheme with a server translating between public and private IP addresses for shared Internet access.

The means to conect between the various endpoints include:

• Diallup Connection - is established between your computer and the ISP server using a modem.
  
  
• Broadband Connection - is provided through either cable or telephone composition and faster than traditional dial-up access.
  
  
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) - is a form of broadband communication that is delivered simultaneously with wired telephone service.
  
  
• Cable - uses a cable modem to provide an internet connection and operates over cable TV lines.
  
  
• Wireless Connection - uses a radio frequency band to connect to the Internet via towers and relays.
  
  
• Cellular - provides wireless Internet access through cell phones.
  
  
• ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) - is a circuit-switched telephone network system using special cable.
  
  
• Satellite Connection - accesses the internet via a satellite that is in Earth’s orbit.
  
  
• Fibre Optics - use a cable made up of tiny glass or plastic fibres providing much higher speeds than a wireless network.
  
  
• Undersea Cable - like fibre optics ,they connect 99% of the world's Inernet traffic.

Reliability

For data to traverse the globe it needs to pass via many channels and way points, each managed by routers and other devices that can be affected by downtime due to power outages, maintenance, equipment failure and natural disasters.

Law enforcement

Internet service providers (ISPs) in many countries are legally required to allow law enforcement agencies to monitor some or all of the information transmitted by the ISP, or even store the browsing history of users to allow government access if needed. Furthermore, in some countries ISPs are subject to monitoring by intelligence agencies. In the U.S., a controversial National Security Agency program known as PRISM provides for broad monitoring of Internet users traffic and has raised concerns about potential violation of the privacy protections in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Modern ISPs integrate a wide array of surveillance and packet sniffing equipment into their networks, which then feeds the data to law-enforcement/intelligence networks allowing monitoring of Internet traffic in real time.

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