Customer expectations for connectivity providers have changed.
This is particularly due to the influence and efficiency of the cloud, as mentioned in our previous article: IP Transit Service for the Cloud Era.
Sometimes providers of IP Transit and IP Access don’t live up to expectations. This article explores what this means for customers, examining connectivity challenges experienced first-hand and how Inter.link solves them.
RIPE89 and Inter.link’s Tech Insights
On the 30th of October, Inter.link hosted its first Tech Insights session: ‘Building a Greenfield Service Provider: Inter.link’s Approach, Learnings, and Future View’.
This exclusive event coincided with RIPE89 (held in Prague, Czechia from 28 Oct – 1 Nov 2024), one of the most important events in the network industry calendar.
It has been almost 2 years since Inter.link started building their sustainable network and the Tech Insights sessions explored the following topics:
- Insights into Inter.link’s unique merchant-silicon-based backbone
- Lessons learned and best practices from nearly 2 years of building a greenfield service provider
- Exclusive insights into product and PoP roadmap
A survey was also conducted for the participants which asked this question: what are your biggest challenges with connectivity suppliers?
Multiple challenges were brought forward, and in this article, we’ll explore each of them individually, including how Inter.link solves them.
Challenges with Connectivity Suppliers and How Inter.link Solves Them
Repeated, unexplained fiber cuts that never get resolved
All of Inter.link’s PoPs have multiple connections to the rest of the network. Redundant connections ensure that our network is reliable. This means that our services are not affected by unexpected fibre cuts.
Delays in lead times, procurement, or in most steps of the order
Too many connectivity suppliers make the order process take too long. Inter.link overcomes this by not having a multi-step order process. Instead, customers can sign up and order in a single step from the portal.
Price/quality ratio
Customers always try to find the best quality connectivity at the lowest possible price. Inter.link stays competitive in the market by focusing on high-quality connectivity. Our pricing is competitive, but we never sacrifice quality.
Finding new Locations
Inter.link is regularly adding new locations to the network, and all of these are shown in our portal, including upcoming locations which are not yet live which helps clients plan for the future. On top of this, we encourage customers to build new locations with us.
Timing on port allocation and issues with cross-connects
Inter.link’s transparency and organised planning means there is no delay in allocating ports for customers. By using the portal, customers can search for available PoPs and order a port instantly.
After placing an order via the Inter.link portal, a port is allocated and the customer receives a LoA to order a cross-connect within minutes.
Congestion in the network
Inter.link has no congested links anywhere in our network. We take care to monitor links and order upgrades long before we run out of capacity. We also prioritise peering over politics, a different approach from tier 1 providers.
Insufficient or inconsistent speed
Inter.link offers speeds from 1G to 400G, so we can cater for whatever the customer needs, and as mentioned above, our multiple connections mean that our network is reliable.
Quick acting support and finding helpful, knowledgeable people at their NOC
Inter.link is a relatively small company which means that customers speak directly with our knowledgeable engineering team who implement the network.
Inter.link’s support is highly responsive due to having a 100% SLA. In addition, we have Slack integration so that clients can directly send us questions in the form of messages.
Flexibility concerning connectivity solutions
Within the Inter.link portal, customers can see all options available to them, however if the customer needs something not listed in the portal, they can speak with the sales team. Flexibility is one of our focus points (not just for our Flex Ethernet service) so we are happy to explore non-standard requests.
Network-as-a-Service: Inter.link’s Approach
Inter.link engineers its network for performance. But this doesn’t stop at high-quality connectivity, from exploring the portal to adding another service on to a multi-service port, Inter.link strives to make the entire process of ordering and utilising connectivity hassle-free for end users.
We’re building a network that breaks with traditional telco architectures; a network designed from the inside out to deliver services that are faster and easier to provision, simpler and more flexible to design and operate, and sustainable now, not later.
Here are some of the ways Inter.link is unique compared to other connectivity suppliers:
- Cloud-like self-service provisioning via our portal and API
- High quality European transit via our top 100 ranked AS5405, including extensive peerings with smaller and regional network
- Baseline DDoS protection included, and easy access to advanced protection from within the same Inter.link network infrastructure
- Multi-service ports for seamless addition of services including the industry’s most flexible Carrier Ethernet offering
- 100G and 400G for every location
- BGP communities and Flowspec support
- Direct access to expert support via Slack
Learn More in the Portal
If you’re interested in exploring Inter.link’s services, including IP Transit, IP Access, Flex Ethernet, and more, click here and visit the portal.