Tier 2 network

A Tier 2 Network is an Internet service provider who engages in the practice of peering with other networks, but who still purchases IP transit to reach some portion of the Internet.

Tier 2 providers are the most common providers on the Internet as it is much easier to purchase transit from a Tier 1 network than it is to peer with them and then attempt to push into becoming a Tier 1 carrier.

The term Tier 3 is sometimes also used to describe networks who solely purchase IP transit from other networks (typically Tier 2 networks) to reach the Internet.

See also

• Tier 1 network
• IP Transit
• Peering point
• Network Access Point

List of large or important tier 2 IPv4 ISPs

• Atrato IP Networks AS5580 (buys transit from NTT Communications Corp/AS2914, Level3/AS3356, and TeliaSonera International Carrier/AS1299)
• British Telecom/AS5400 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549 and Level 3/AS3356)
• Kaia Global Networks AS33926 (buys transit from NTT Communications Corp/AS2914, and Inteliquent/AS3257)
• KCOM Group/AS12390 (buys transit from KPN/AS286 and Level 3/AS3356)
• Cable and Wireless AS1273 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356 and TeliaSonera International Carrier/AS1299)
• Vodafone AS3209 (formerly ARCOR AG Germany) (buys transit from Level3/AS3356, GBLX/AS3549, TeliaSonera International Carrier/AS1299, and Interoute/AS8928)
• Virgin Media/ Virgin Media Business AS5089 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356, GBLX/AS3549, Inteliquent/AS3257, AboveNet/AS6461, and Cable and Wireless/AS1273)
• PCCW Global AS3491 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549, Tata Communications/AS6453, and Verizon/AS701)
• Tele2 (formerly SWIPNet) AS1257 (buys transit from Sprint Nextel/AS1239)
• tw telecomAS4323 (buys transit from Sprint Nextel/AS1239)
• nLayer AS4436 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549, Sprint Nextel/AS1239, NTT Communications Corp/AS2914)
• Internap AS14744 and others (buys transits from multiple Tier 1 Networks)
• Interoute AS8928 (buys transit from NTT Communications Corp/AS2914 and Inteliquent/AS3257)
• Global Telecom & Technology AS25973 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356 and GBLX/AS3549)
• Comcast AS7922 (buys transit from Tata Communications/AS6453)
• Sling Broadband AS33724 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356) and Cogent/AS174)
• Spirit Communications AS2711 (buys transit from GBLX/AS3549 and Inteliquent/AS3257)
• Stealth Communications AS8002 (buys transit from Level3/AS3356, GBLX/AS3549, Inteliquent/AS3257, Sprint Nextel/AS1239, Verizon/AS701)

The ASxxx refer to each network's IANA-assigned AS number.