UUNET Global Site: WorldCom Policy for Settlement-Free Interconnection with Internet Networks

WorldCom Policy for Settlement-Free Interconnection with Internet Networks

January 2001

Background and Introduction

This document sets forth WorldCom's Policy for Settlement-Free Interconnection with Internet Networks ("Policy"), also referred to as "peering." The Policy extends WorldCom's existing North American Policy to Europe and Asia-Pacific and adjusts the minimum operating requirements to current traffic levels. The Policy is consistent with settlement-free interconnection policies recently announced by other Internet Networks. WorldCom will publish, maintain, and update its Policy on the WorldCom public Web site at www.worldcom.com/peering/.

Part 1 of the Policy details the interconnection requirements that an Internet Network requesting interconnection (the "Requester") must meet in order to qualify for settlement-free interconnection. The Policy establishes separate requirements for each of WorldCom's three regional Internet Networks, AS701 (WorldCom-US), AS702 (WorldCom-Europe), and AS703 (WorldCom-ASPAC), with the requirements scaled for each network. WorldCom also will consider requests for settlement-free interconnection on a national level or in other regions of the world, with the same guiding principles and with appropriately scaled interconnection requirements. Part 2 of the Policy specifies the operational requirements for interconnecting networks, which both the Requester and WorldCom must satisfy. Finally, Part 3 delineates some general notifications regarding the Policy.

This Policy is effective January 5, 2001, and applies to all requests for settlement-free interconnection with a WorldCom Internet Network, either via dedicated connections ("direct peering") or via traffic exchange at a multi-party network access point ("public peering"). WorldCom will not apply the Policy with respect to existing agreements for settlement-free interconnection via dedicated connections until January 5, 2002. At this time, due in part to inadequate measurement capabilities and WorldCom's traffic levels at public peering points, WorldCom has no plans to apply the Policy with respect to existing agreements for settlement-free interconnection at multi-party network access points, and WorldCom will provide at least 12 months notice to existing public peers before doing so.

1. Interconnection Requirements

1.1	Geographic Scope. The Requester shall operate facilities capable of terminating customer leased line IP connections onto a router in at least 50% of the geographic region in which the WorldCom Internet Network with which it desires to interconnect operates such facilities. This currently equates to 15 states in the United States, 8 countries in Europe, or 2 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The Requester also must have a geographically-dispersed network. In the United States, at a minimum, the Requester must have the ability to meet WorldCom's Internet Network at an East Coast location, a West Coast location, and at least two Midwest locations.
1.2	Traffic Exchange Ratio. The ratio of the aggregate amount of traffic exchanged between the Requester and the WorldCom Internet Network with which it seeks to interconnect shall be roughly balanced and shall not exceed 1.5:1.
1.3	Backbone Capacity. The Requester shall have a fully redundant backbone network, in which the majority of its inter-hub trunking links shall have a capacity of at least 622 Mbps (OC-12) for interconnection with WorldCom-US, 45 Mbps (DS-3) for interconnection with WorldCom-Europe, and 12 Mbps for interconnection with WorldCom-ASPAC.
1.4	Traffic Volume. The aggregate amount of traffic exchanged in each direction over all interconnection links between the Requester and the WorldCom Internet Network with which it desires to interconnect shall equal or exceed 150 Mbps of traffic for WorldCom-US, 30 Mbps of traffic for WorldCom-Europe, and 5 Mbps of traffic for WorldCom-ASPAC.

2. Operational Requirements

The following operational requirements apply both to the Requester and to the WorldCom Internet Network with which it desires to enter into a settlement-free interconnection arrangement:

2.1	Each Internet Network must establish and maintain traffic exchange links of a sufficient robustness, aggregate capacity, and geographic dispersion to facilitate mutually acceptable performance across the interconnect links.
2.2	Each Internet Network must operate a fully functional 24x7 Network Operations Center.
2.3	Each Internet Network must set next hop to be itself, the advertising router of the network. Each Internet Network will propagate such routes to its transit customers with its own router as next hop.
2.4	Each Internet Network shall implement "shortest exit routing" and advertise routes consistent with that policy, unless both Internet Networks mutually agree otherwise based on special circumstances.
2.5	Each Internet Network must operate a fully redundant network, capable of handling a simultaneous single-node outage in each network without significantly affecting the performance of the traffic being exchanged.
2.6	The two Internet Networks must exchange with each other prior to any settlement-free interconnection agreement a free shell or PPP account for testing and auditing purposes related to routing. This will be used for confirmation of traffic flows, troubleshooting of interconnection-related issues, and auditing purposes.
2.7	Each Internet Network must be responsive to unsolicited email and network abuse complaints, as well as routing and security issues, providing a knowledgeable technician within a two-hour period after notice.
2.8	For the purposes of Requirements 1.2 and 1.4 of the Policy, all traffic is to be measured over interconnection links. In the event that such links do not exist, the two Internet Networks may establish temporary test links for the purposes of traffic measurement. In the event that establishing such links is not feasible or desirable, traffic will be measured at peak utilization, based upon a representative sample consistent with industry practice.
2.9	For the purposes of Requirements 1.2 and 1.4 of the Policy, the traffic to be measured will include only what is being exchanged by the two Internet Networks and their respective customers (excluding any transit traffic).

3. General Policy Notifications

3.1	The two Internet Networks must enter into a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement and an Interconnection Agreement.
3.2	The requirements in Part 1 must be met at the time the request for settlement-free interconnection with WorldCom is made.
3.3	All requirements of the Policy must continue to be met to continue a settlement-free interconnection relationship. Status under the policy will be evaluated periodically. In the case of a change in ownership or control of an Internet Network with which WorldCom has an interconnection agreement, status under the policy will be evaluated within 30 days of such change.
3.4	WorldCom will continue to monitor the development of the Internet and traffic conditions and make appropriate changes in this Policy as the Internet continues to evolve. WorldCom reserves the right to modify this Policy at any time. Any contractual rights shall arise out of a bilateral interconnection agreement, not this Policy.
3.5	All requests for settlement-free interconnection should be submitted to WorldCom via e-mail at peering@wcom.com. An Internet Network may submit a request for interconnection once per calendar quarter.

WorldCom Policy for Settlement-Free Interconnection with Internet NetworksJanuary 2001

1. Interconnection Requirements

2. Operational Requirements

3. General Policy Notifications

WorldCom Policy for Settlement-Free Interconnection with Internet Networks

January 2001