The AT&T peering environment

AT&T, Inc., through its operating subsidiaries ("AT&T"), seeks to interconnect its IP network with other Internet backbone providers on a settlement-free basis when such interconnection provides tangible benefits to AT&T and its customers.

For both historical and technical reasons, the new AT&T's IP network spans several different Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs). AS7018 is available for private peering in the US. AS7132 is not seeking new private peers at this time, but is available for public peering in the US. AS6389 is not accepting new peers. AS7018 and AS7132 do not peer outside the United States, but other regional ASNs are available for in-region peering: AS2685 (Canada), AS2686 (Europe and the Middle East), AS2687 (Asia-Pacific), and AS2688 (Latin America).

Requesting peering with AT&T

Requests for peering with AT&T European, Latin American, Canadian, or Asia-Pacific IP networks are handled on an individual-case basis. An ISP 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 or regional network; 2) if regional, which countries are served; 3) in which exchange points the ISP has a presence; 4) a list of autonomous system numbers and prefixes served; and 5) a description of the type of traffic carried by the network. Applications for peering in Canada should be submitted to peering@att.com; applications for Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific should be submitted to peering@attglobal.net.

Internet backbone providers wishing to initiate discussions with either AS7018 or AS7132 regarding potential establishment of new settlement-free peering in the US should contact peering@att.com with their requests, including evidence of meeting all criteria listed in the US policy below. The criteria involving traffic measurements must be met by a prospective peer for three consecutive months. Potential peers will be contacted within a reasonable timeframe to discuss their requests.

Networks that do not meet the requirements of the applicable peering policy but that are interested in AT&T dedicated internet access services may also address their requests to peering@att.com. In this case the subject line of the e-mail should indicate a need for sales assistance. The body of the message should include as many details as possible, such as location and telephone number, to expedite the redirect for assistance.

US Peering Requirements -- AS7018 and AS7132

For each AT&T US network with which a provider is or wishes to be interconnected as a peer:

• A peer of AS7018 must operate a US-wide IP backbone whose links are primarily OC192 (10 Gbps) or greater. For AS7132, the peer's US-wide IP backbone links must be predominantly OC48 (2.5 Gbps) or greater.
• Peer must meet AT&T at a minimum of three mutually agreeable geographically diverse points in the US. The US interconnection points must include at least one city on the US east coast, one in the central region, and one on the US west coast, and must currently be chosen from AT&T peering points in the following list of metropolitan areas: New York City/Newark NJ, Washington DC/Ashburn VA, Atlanta (for AS7018 only), Chicago, Dallas, Seattle (for AS7018 only), San Francisco/Palo Alto/San Jose, and Los Angeles.
• In addition a peer of AS7018 must interconnect in two mutual non-US peering locations on distinct continents where peer has a non-trivial backbone network. These non-US peerings will be with AT&T's regional AS only.
• Peer's traffic to/from the interconnected AT&T US network must be on-net only and must amount to at least 3 Gbps peak in the dominant direction for peers of AS7018. At least 200 Mbps peak in the dominant direction will be required to be considered for public peering with AS7132.
• Interconnection bandwidth for private peers must be at least 1 Gbps at each US interconnection point.
• A network (ASN) that is a customer of an AT&T US network for any dedicated IP services may not simultaneously be a settlement-free peer of that same network.
• Peer must have a professionally managed 24x7 NOC. Peer must agree to repair or otherwise 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 maintain a balanced traffic ratio between its network and AT&T. In particular, a new peer must have:
  • No more than a 2.00:1 ratio of traffic into AT&T: out of AT&T, on average each month.
  • A reasonably low peak-to-average ratio.
• Existing peers whose in: out ratio rises above 2.00:1 will be expected to work with AT&T to implement best-exit routing or to take other suitable actions to balance transport costs.
• Peer must abide by the following routing policy:
  • Peer must use the same peering AS 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, selling or giving next-hop to others.
• Peer must be financially stable.

Reviews

Meeting the peering guidelines set forth herein is not a guarantee that a peering relationship with AT&T will be established. AT&T shall evaluate a number of business factors and reserves the right not to enter into a peering agreement with an otherwise qualified applicant.

Existing peers of AS7018 and AS7132 will have their peering status reviewed periodically to ensure joint capacity planning and to ensure that all criteria continue to be met. AT&T reserves the right to terminate peering, upon a notice period as determined by the parties' agreement, with peers who do not meet the criteria described above.

Periodic review of the policies contained here will be conducted to ensure that the criteria and eligibility requirements are consistent with AT&T's business needs. AT&T may modify this settlement-free peering policy at any time.

Effective date February 2008