The early 2000s saw the rise of streaming media, beginning with YouTube but now with a wide range streaming services from Netflix to TikTok to Instagram and a host of others. This change has dramatically increased data consumption by internet users who expect streaming media to be instantly available. Video conferencing tools like Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and others have further increased data consumption and user expectations of network performance.
To meet this demand, community-centred connectivity providers wanting to offer these services must purchase backhaul connections with greater and greater capacity as well as reliability. Understanding backhaul options and design, negotiating effectively with backhaul providers, and managing network connectivity effectively are becoming more and more critical to the sustainability of small ISPs. Often the cost of backhaul is the single biggest recurring operating expense for a small ISP.
This document is intended as a resource for community-centred connectivity providers seeking to better understand the evolving landscape of backhaul options.