§ ACCESS POINTS/INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS (ISPs)

The Internet can be viewed as the "Information Toll-way" instead of the common term "Information Superhighway". In order to get on the Internet, you have to pay people at access points, which is similar to how toll highways work. These access points are called Internet Service Providers (ISPs). ISPs have very high-speed connections to the Internet and they in turn sell users slower dial-up or dedicated connections.

ISPs have a high speed LAN with many components, which includes a large, complex router that connects the LAN to the Internet. Other components include the ISP's mail, news and Web servers and routers for dedicated leased line and dial-up access to the Internet for users. ISPs also allows server hosting where a customer can place their Web server at the ISP for the best possible performance.

Local ISPs
· Cable & Wireless BET (Caribsurf Internet services)
· Sunbeach
· CariAccess

Backbone ISPs
A backbone ISP is basically an ISP with a very high-speed connection (several hundred megabits per second) to other backbone ISPs to provide a structure for the Internet. Some examples of backbone providers are Pacific Bell and Sprint found in the United States of America.