October 8, 2005
A spat between Internet titans Cogent and Level 3 Communications left uncounted thousands of consumers wondering why their e-mail service was sporadic and why some Web sites loaded slowly or not at all. In some instances, users were completely locked out.
Level 3 cut off its so-called "peering arrangement" with Cogent on Wednesday, refusing to handle any Cogent traffic over its network. That disrupted service to several of Cogent's larger customers and their downstream customers.
Tom Snyder an Oakland, Calif., communications consultant said his team calculated that as many as 45 million Web addresses became unreachable. "I've never heard of this happening," Snyder said. "Intentionally shutting down the Internet. That's news."
Service was restored Friday afternoon, flooding many consumers' mailboxes with three-day-old e-mails. In the interim, many users had engaged in hours of fruitless trouble-shooting; others missed important personal or business messages.
But the truce between the two Internet backbone providers is only temporary. Level 3 said it restored connections only to give Cogent customers time to make alternative arrangements.
"We will maintain this connection until 6:00 a.m. ET, November 9, 2005," Level 3 wrote in a statement.
"We are pleased that Level 3 has taken the necessary actions to restore the full Internet to their customers and ours," Cogent said in its statement. "We welcome this move and hope and expect the peering connections will be maintained and a productive dialogue established."
The details of the dispute aren't known, except that Level 3 has contended that it is carrying more traffic for Cogent customers than Cogent is carrying for Level 3 customers. Backbone providers traditionally hand off traffic to each other at no charge, a practice called "peering."
Both companies own fiber-optic networks that link phone companies, cable companies, and the independent Internet service providers who serve the public. Cogent links 360 Internet service providers around the world. Level 3 serves the 10 largest U.S. Web providers.
Industry insiders say that Level 3's real motivation may have more to do with Cogent's pricing. It has for years undercut other backbone carriers and has been signing new customers at a rapid clip, angering other carriers.
Level 3 said it had given Cogent plenty of notice, warning it 60 days ago of the termination that took place on Wednesday.
"We have gone through similar processes with many other companies with little or no disruption. Those firms chose to enter into arrangements -- either with Level 3 or others -- to obtain the appropriate connectivity and keep the interests of their customers paramount," Level 3 said.
Government Intervention?
Level 3's action may backfire. Angered by the disruption of their business, many Internet users are calling for the government to regulate traffic-sharing agreements between major providers.
European governments, meanwhile, say the latest spat is another sign that the United States is not able to effectively manage the Internet and should relinquish its unilateral control in favor of a new international governing body.
