IP transit
IP transit rents full-table reachability from an upstream, so a network can announce its prefixes and reach the whole internet.
Definitions only — a term explained here is not a service we sell.
IP transit is reachability to the full internet routing table, bought from an upstream provider. The customer announces its prefixes over BGP and receives the provider's routes; the provider bills for capacity.
Charging usually follows the 95th percentile of traffic. Peering exchanges routes between two networks, usually without payment, and DIA gives one site access without a routing table.
What transit buys
Transit buys full-table reachability through an upstream, not a private pipe. The provider carries traffic to and from the internet, and responsibility ends at the handoff.
Transit in the matrix
| Transit in the matrix | IP transit | DIA | Private line |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you buy | Reachability via an upstream | Committed internet access | A dedicated circuit |
| Full routing table | Yes | Usually no | No |
| Responsibility ends | At the handoff | At the handoff | At the far end of the circuit |
| Best for | Reachability at scale | Office internet | Fixed paths and guarantees |
Text description
Rows cover what you buy, the routing table, where responsibility ends and the fit. Transit carries the full table; a private line does not.
Review the session
Check whether the table is full, partial or a default route, and the prefix limit. Ask whether the provider filters with IRR or RPKI, and about the upstream mix and latency. See China connectivity options for the routes.