25 Oct
1996
25 Oct
'96
1:21 p.m.
A large reason the cost of international leased lines are so high is due to protectionist tarrifs in international telecom. I understand it is cheaper to buy a leased line from the us to Europe than the other way around. (This at least has been discussed on nanog before).
The point isn't which end it's bought, it's who pays. Only a few international lines are paid for by US ISPs, the main exception being the NSF subsidized 1/2 circuits on ICM/icp.net, and, no doubt, those rolling out European transit networks (UU net/PSI) Alex Bligh Xara Networks