Data Communications Ranks Top 25 ISPs for Corporate Customers

Uunet Technologies Named No. 1 in Magazine Survey

PRNewswire
MANHASSET, N.Y.
Jun 8, 1999

Data Communications has just published its second annual ranking of the Top 25 ISPs servicing the world's 500 busiest Web sites. Uunet Technologies finishes out in front, handling 178 of the 500 domains -- nearly three times as many as its closest competitors, Exodus Communications and Cable & Wireless.

"Top 25 ISPs," which leads off the special report on IP that appears in Data Communications' June issue, also assesses latency and packet loss for the leading Internet service providers.

"Our Top 25 ratings are a great example of what makes Data Communications unique," said Editor in Chief Lee Keough. "We give our readers practical data that they can use to make business decisions. And we go to extraordinary lengths to get the information they need."

In order to identify the Top 25 ISPs, Data Communications developed custom software to peer inside routers on the Internet itself, determining which providers actually deliver traffic to the 500 busiest Web sites. The magazine turned to Media Metrix (New York), a company that ranks sites according to the number of unique visitors, to establish its list of the 500 largest domains.

To assess ISP performance, Data Communications worked with Matrix Information and Directory Services (Austin, Texas). The Internet testing company pinged up to 1,300 hosts on each ISP backbone every 15 minutes for a month, gathering performance statistics on latency and packet loss.

"When Data Communications decides to do something, it sets the standard for the rest of the industry," said Publisher Joseph Braue. "I'm constantly hearing from readers and advertisers that Data Communications consistently raises the bar on what to expect from a networking technology magazine."

In addition to ranking the Top 25 ISPs and presenting performance stats for each, Data Communications also delves into customer service. No-holds-barred assessments from actual ISP customers give readers an inside look at what to expect from service providers.

The "Top 25 ISPs" can be viewed online at http://www.data.com/issue/990607/topisps.html.

Data Communications is published by CMP Media Inc. It is the only technology magazine that addresses critical issues concerning IP infrastructure and is written exclusively for the network architects who design, build, and manage public nets or private networks at large companies worldwide.

CMP Media Inc. is the leading high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers, and users of technology worldwide. With its portfolio of newspapers, magazines, custom publishing, Internet products, research, consulting and conferences, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. On-line editions of the company's print publications, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet, can be found on CMPnet at http://www.cmpnet.com/.

SOURCE: CMP Media Inc.

Contact: Alexandra J. Raine of CMP Media Inc., 516-562-7827,
araine@cmp.com

Website: http://www.cmpnet.com/

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