Steve Feldman writes:

This leads to the obvious (for me, anyway) question of NAP placement.

It seems to me that multiple providers on Mars wouldn't want to backhaul traffic all the way to Earth just to talk across the canal...

MAE-Mars?

Of course, this raises another interesting issue; namely, that of exchange point nomenclature. As inter-planetary networks evolve, the term 'MAE' will become antiquated. I would suggest we use the term Galactic-Area Exchange, but I fear a vehement response from Jerry Falwell... ;-) Of course, if MFS runs them, the concept of a Planetary-Area Exchange is not without merit. --Jeff