ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the phenomenon of Internet interconnection, or peering, of the networks that form the Internet. It also focuses on four Internet content giants Apple, Amazon.com, Facebook, and Google firms whose decisions matter for millions of users worldwide. Internet services such as Internet exchange points (IXPs) function as a new APS found in world cities to support global firms. The emergence of the Internet coincided with a number of other disruptions in the telecommunications industry. The growth of content and especially video is altering the geography of the Internet. A key feature of the new Internet is the presence of content networks particularly the hyper giants such as Google in widespread locations. The Internet has always been a network of networks, with long-haul backbones, national networks, and regional and local networks interconnected to form a global system.
