Editing Peering (section)

==Depeering==
By definition, peering is the voluntary and free exchange of traffic between two networks, for mutual benefit. If one or both networks believes that there is no longer a mutual benefit, they may decide to cease peering: this is known as '''depeering'''. Some of the reasons why one network may wish to depeer another include:

* A desire that the other network pay settlement, either in exchange for continued peering or for transit services.
* A belief that the other network is "profiting unduly" from the no-settlement interconnection.
* Concern over ''traffic ratios'', which is related to the fair sharing of cost for the interconnection.
* A desire to peer with the upstream transit provider of the peered network.
* Abuse of the interconnection by the other party, such as ''pointing default'' or utilizing the peer for transit.
* Instability of the peered network, repeated routing leaks, lack of response to network abuse issues, etc.
* The inability or unwillingness of the peered network to provision additional capacity for peering.
* The belief that the peered network is unduly peering with one's customers.
* Various external political factors (including personal conflicts between individuals at each network).

In some situations, networks which are being depeered have been known to attempt to fight to keep the peering by intentionally breaking the connectivity between the two networks when the peer is removed, either through a deliberate act or an act of omission. The goal is to force the depeering network to have so many customer complaints that they are willing to restore peering. Examples of this include forcing traffic via a path that does not have enough capacity to handle the load, or intentionally blocking alternate routes to or from the other network. Some notable examples of these situations have included:

* [[BBN Technologies|BBN Planet]] ''vs'' [[Exodus Communications]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seclists.org/nanog/2010/Nov/1014 |title=Ratios and Peering |author=John Curran |date=30 November 2010| access-date=9 July 2011}}</ref>
* [[PSINet]] ''vs'' [[Cable & Wireless Worldwide|Cable & Wireless]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=Burton |first=Graeme |title=PSINet-C&W dispute causes Internet blackout |work=Information Age |date=2001-06-07 |url=http://www.information-age.com/article/2001/june/psinet-c_and_w_dispute_causes_internet_blackout |access-date=2006-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183732/http://www.information-age.com/article/2001/june/psinet-c_and_w_dispute_causes_internet_blackout |archive-date=27 September 2007 }}</ref>
* [[AOL|AOL Transit Data Network (ATDN)]] ''vs'' [[Cogent Communications]]<ref>{{cite news| last=Noguchi | first=Yuki | title='Peering' Dispute With AOL Slows Cogent Customer Access | newspaper=[[Washington Post]] | date=2002-12-27 | url=http://legalminds.lp.findlaw.com/list/cyberia-l/msg42080.html | access-date=2006-09-28}}</ref>
* [[France Telecom]] ''vs'' Cogent Communications<ref>{{Cite news| last=Kuri | first=Jürgen |author2=Smith, Robert W. | title=France Telecom severs all network links to competitor Cogent | publisher=[[Heinz Heise|Heise online]] | date=2005-04-21 | url=http://morse.colorado.edu/~epperson/courses/routing-protocols/handouts/cogent-ft.html | access-date=2006-09-28}}</ref>
* France Telecom (Wanadoo) ''vs'' [[Proxad]] (Free)<ref>{{Cite news| last=Le Bouder | first=Gonéri | title=Problème de peering entre Free et France Télécom | publisher=LinuxFr | date=2003-01-11 | url=http://linuxfr.org/2003/01/21/11058.html | access-date=2006-09-28|language=fr}}</ref>
* [[Level 3 Communications]] ''vs'' [[XO Communications]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Level 3 and XO Communications Sign Settlement-Free Peering Agreement |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/level-3-and-xo-communications-sign-settlement-free-peering-agreement-185856492.html |website=PR Newswire |access-date=17 January 2024 |date=7 January 2013}}</ref>
* Level 3 Communications ''vs'' Cogent Communications<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Cowley | first=Stacey | title=ISP spat blacks out Net connections | magazine=[[InfoWorld]] | date=2005-10-06 | url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/10/06/HNispspat_1.html | access-date=2006-09-28 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108221008/http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/10/06/HNispspat_1.html | archive-date=8 January 2007 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* Telecom/Telefónica/Impsat/Prima ''vs'' CABASE (Argentina) <ref>{{Cite news| title=CABASE sale aireada del conflicto NAP | url=http://www.canal-ar.com.ar/Noticias/NoticiaMuestra.asp?Id=1337}}</ref>
* Cogent Communications ''vs'' [[TeliaSonera]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://gigaom.com/2008/03/14/the-telia-cogent-spat-could-ruin-web-for-many/| title = The Telia-Cogent Spat Could Ruin the Web For Many – GigaOM<!-- Bot generated title -->| work = Gigaom| date = 14 March 2008| last1 = Malik| first1 = Om}}</ref>
* [[Sprint-Nextel]] ''vs'' [[Cogent Communications]]<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Ricknäs | first=Mikael | title=Sprint-Cogent Dispute Puts Small Rip in Fabric of Internet | magazine=[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]] | date=2008-10-31 | url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/153123/sprintcogent_dispute_puts_small_rip_in_fabric_of_internet.html | access-date=2008-10-31}}</ref>
* [[SFR]] ''vs'' [[OVH]]<ref>{{Cite news| last=Guillaume | first=Nicolas | title=INTERCONNEXION RÉSEAUX : OVH ET SFR CALMENT LE JEU | publisher=[[ITespresso]] | date=2011-02-12 | url=http://www.itespresso.fr/interconnexion-reseaux-ovh-et-sfr-calment-le-jeu-41338.html | access-date=2011-02-12|language=fr}}</ref>
* [[Free (ISP)|The French ISP 'Free']] ''vs'' [[YouTube]]<ref>{{Cite news| last=Fradin | first=Andréa | title=Pourquoi ça rame quand je veux regarder une vidéo YouTube avec Free |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] | date=2013-01-15 | url=http://www.slate.fr/story/67161/google-free-video-interconnexion-rame | access-date=2013-01-15|language=fr}}</ref>