The WorldCom scandal, with fraud amounting to around $4 billion, has brought into sharp focus the possibility that its network operations may be affected and that the knock-on effect will hit Internet service providers around the world.
SA`s largest supplier of corporate Internet connectivity, Internet Solutions (IS), has issued a statement that none of its network operations will be affected should there be difficulties with WorldCom`s infrastructure.
Says Stuart Hardy, GM of the networks division at IS: "There are two forms of infrastructure that an Internet service provider in SA can purchase from WorldCom.
"The first is telecommunication services such as satellite and fibre from SA to London or New York. Unlike UUNet, IS does not purchase any of its telecommunication bandwidth from WorldCom. Instead, it is bought from AT&T, Verestar, Cable and Wireless and other large international telecom carries. Therefore, if WorldCom had to close its doors, this would have no impact on the IS network.
Hardy explains that the other service ISPs share is peering.
"IS does peer with UUNet in London and New York, but this only makes up 20% of IS` total peering. The remainder sits with AT&T, NYIIX, LINX,Abovenet and Verestar and should the UUNet peering be affected, IS has sufficient capacity for all its clients."
Therefore, he says, WorldCom`s problems will have no impact on IS at all as it still has access to the rest of the world through its multiple peering relationships.
Hardy believes that the beauty of the Internet lies in the fact that there are many networks working together without any one dominant player. "The nature of the Internet is such that no one really owns the entire Internet, it is more a collaboration between many parties.
"And it is this very fact - that no one player has control over - that will ensure its survival."
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Established in 1993 as the country`s first commercial Internet service provider, IS has grown in stature and today attracts 80% of the SA`s top 250 listed companies. IS remains the leading ISP with a market share of over 50%. Probably one of the country`s most successful post-apartheid companies, IS has expanded from being a pure Internet connectivity provider to an innovative and pioneering business with services that include Internet access, VPNs, hosting, dial-up, security and business gateway solutions. Testimony to its recognition as a market leader IS has earned an impressive collection of awards, which includes eight First National Bank "Most Admired" awards, Professional Management Review silver and golden arrow awards and even a Loerie award for its design work.
In 2002 IS was certified as a Cisco Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), the first and only company outside of the US to be awarded this accolade. The CPN-MSSP brand associates IS with the worldwide leaders in Internet security.
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