Really the answer to all of the peering questions is that it is one big game of chicken. You have four players: Exodus GTEI/BBN Exodus's customers BBN's Customers The real question is who will pull out first. I do not agree with GTEI/BBN's tactics, but unfortunately they need to do what they need to do. The nature of peering is that it is voluntary. Therefore people can choose what their peering policy is. If Exodus gives in first then GTEI won. If GTEI gives in then Exodus and the rest of the smaller players win. (Which is better, of course). Which side will win is dependant on the customers. This is the danger of running a network dependant strictly on peering arrangements. But a network of peering is cheaper then one that is backed up by transit circuits. But this is a different business model then Exodus. No matter what happens, the end result will be a corner stone of what the Internet will become. Its not a technical issue. Its a business issue. There may be technical justifications, but it is still a business issue. Jason ____________________________________________________ Jason Zigmont (N1JIV) jzigmont@globalcenter.net Senior Account Executive 212.618.9625 (V) Frontier GlobalCenter 212.571.2036 (F) http://www.globalcenter.net 1.888.795.3124(Pager) Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail http://www.cauce.org