AT&T Global IP Network Peering Policy

The AT&T Peering Environment

AT&T Corp., through its operating affiliates (“AT&T”), is willing to interconnect its Global IP network with other Internet backbone providers and ISPs when such interconnection provides tangible benefits to AT&T and its customers. Peering is a commercially negotiated barter arrangement that is available to Internet backbone providers and ISPs of similar size and geographic scope having a roughly equal exchange of traffic between the peers, so that there is equivalent benefit to both peers, obviating the need for payments between the two parties. Because the decision to peer is based on ensuring an exchange of equal value, providers that do not operate extensive Internet backbones do not qualify for peering with AT&T. Agreements to exchange traffic with other types of providers, such as Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and content providers, have historically been addressed through paid transit or other commercial arrangements.

The AT&T Global IP network spans several different Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs). AS7018 is available for peering in the US; it does not peer outside the United States. Other regional AT&T ASNs are available for in-region peering: AS2685 (Canada), AS2686 (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), AS2687 (Asia-Pacific), and AS2688 (Latin America).

Requests for Peering with AT&T

Requests for peering with AT&T’s European, Latin American, Canadian, or Asia-Pacific IP networks are handled on an individual-case basis. A party seeking peering with any of these ASNs should submit its request in writing, providing a description of its network including such information as: 1) whether it has a single-country, regional or global network; 2) if regional, which countries are served; 3) in which exchange points the party has a presence; 4) a list of ASNs and prefixes served; and 5) a description of the type of traffic carried by the applicant’s network. Applications for peering with AT&T’s European, Latin American, Canadian, or Asia-Pacific IP networks should be submitted to peering@att.com. Applications for peering in the US should be submitted to peering@att.com, and must include evidence of meeting all criteria listed in the US policy below.

Potential peers will be contacted within a reasonable timeframe after receipt of their application to discuss their requests.

Initial US Peering Qualification

  • A peer of AS7018 must operate a US-wide IP backbone whose links are 10 Gbps or greater.
  • Peer must meet AT&T at a minimum of six mutually-agreed, geographically diverse points in the US. The US interconnection points must include at least two on the US east coast, two in the central region, and two on the US west
    coast, and must be chosen from AT&T peering points in the following metropolitan areas: New York City/Newark NJ; Washington DC/Ashburn VA; Atlanta; Miami; Chicago; Dallas; Seattle; San Francisco/San Jose; and Los
    Angeles.
  • A peer must interconnect in two mutual non-US peering locations on separate continents where peer has a significant backbone network. These non-US peering points will be with AT&T’s regional ASNs.
  • Peer’s traffic to/from AS7018 must be on-net only and must amount to an average of at least 30 Gbps in the dominant direction to/from AT&T in the US during the busiest hour of the month.
  • Interconnection bandwidth must be at least 10 Gbps at each US interconnection point.
  • A network that is a customer of AS7018 for any dedicated IP services may not simultaneously be a peer.
  • Peer must have a professionally managed 24×7 NOC. Peer must agree to repair/remedy any problems within a reasonable timeframe. Peer must also agree to actively cooperate to resolve security incidents, denial of service attacks, and other operational problems.
  • Peer must abide by the following routing policy:
    • Peer must use the same peering ASN at each US interconnection point and must announce a consistent set of routes at each point, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
    • No transit or third party routes are to be announced; all routes exchanged must be peer’s and peer’s customers’ routes.
    • Peer must filter route announcements from its customers by prefix. Neither party shall abuse the peering relationship by engaging in activities such as but not limited to: pointing a default route at the other or otherwise forwarding traffic for destinations not explicitly advertised, resetting next-hop, or selling or giving next-hop to others.
  • Peer must be financially stable.

Meeting these peering guidelines is not a guarantee that AT&T will enter into a peering agreement with an applicant. AT&T evaluates a number of business factors and reserves the right to decline to enter into a peering relationship with an otherwise qualified applicant.

Ongoing US Peering Qualification

Once AT&T establishes a peering relationship with an applicant, the peer must continue to satisfy the peering qualifications listed above. In addition, the peer must maintain a balanced traffic exchange ratio with AT&T that is no more than 2:1 (traffic in:out of AT&T) on average each month and a reasonably low peak-to-average ratio. Peers whose ratio rises above 2:1 will be required to work cooperatively with AT&T to take suitable actions to balance transport costs. AT&T conducts a periodic review of its Peering Policy to ensure that the criteria and eligibility requirements are consistent with AT&T’s business needs. AT&T may modify this Peering Policy at any time, in which case AT&T will update this page to reflect the modification.

Effective March 1, 2016