Re: Evaluating Tier 1 Internet providers

[Jared Mauch <jared () puck nether net>]

On Aug 27, 2013, at 5:11 PM, "Eric Louie" <elouie () yahoo com> wrote:

> Tier 1 = Internet backbone providers (United States - AT&T, UUNET, Sprint,
> AboveNet/Zayo, Cogent, Qwest/CenturyLink, L3/GBLX).  However, I might be
> better served with a Tier 2 for reachability as pointed out in another

You may want to revise your list, and look at the 3rd parties that measure and rank this data.

http://as-rank.caida.org/
http://www.renesys.com/2013/01/a-bakers-dozen-2012-edition/

You are missing a few networks that are important.  Much of what someone considers a "major network" IMHO depends on 
how you scope them.  Maybe you don't care about things not on your continent.  Maybe you don't mind having a different 
ASN in Asia/Europe.  Maybe you don't need to connect in Australia with the same routing policy.

The real answer is "it depends", and your criteria may not be the same as someone else.

- Jared