Fwd: Re: [LINK] Number of ISPs continues to grow - now almost 1100

[Adam Todd]

>>From: Adam Todd <at@ah.net>
>>So exactly how many ISPs are really out there?
>
>So exactly what is an ISP?

Easy, read the TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT!

That's supported by:
>http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?Internet+Service+Provider
>http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?Internet+Access+Providers
>(which I regret to admit I'd never looked at before, and is from 1996!)
>
>Can anyone point to or copy-and-paste in the ABS definition, or an IIA 
>definition.

No forget that, that's not where the law defines and ISP.  Actually the law 
defines a CARRIAGE SERVICE PROVIDER, the industry uses the term ISP.

>Let's just ignore any definitions that may exist in the Telecommunications 
>legislation ...

But you can't, because that is where the definition of a business or free 
service operating as an ISP comes from.  If you meet the criteria of a CSP 
you are bound by law under the Telecommunications Act.

CSP == ISP, doesn't matter about the semantic of the "term" userd or the 
different letters in the Acronym.  The Government botched it by trying to 
be smart assed and create a "new name" and shot themselves at the same time.

>Although the TIO might have tried to come up with an interpretation of it 
>that makes sense in the real world.

Doesn't matter CSP includes ISP and that's all there is to it.

Section 86 of the Telecommunications Act.