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It has been suggested that SpewSpewNet be merged into this article or section. () |
UUNET is one of the oldest and largest Internet service providers and one of the nine Tier 1 networks. It is based in Northern Virginia.
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Background
Prior to its founding, access to Usenet and E-mail exchange from non-ARPANET sites was accomplished using a cooperative network of systems running the UUCP protocol over POTS lines. During the mid-1980s, growth of this network began to put considerable strain on the resources voluntarily provided by the larger UUCP hubs. This prompted Rick Adams, a system administrator at the Center for Seismic Studies, to explore the possibilities of providing these services commercially as a way to reduce the burden on the existing hubs.
Early existence
With funding in the form of a loan from Usenix, UUNET Communications Services began operation in 1987 as a non-profit corporation providing Usenet feeds, E-mail exchange and access to a large repository of software source code and related information. The venture proved successful and shed its non-profit status within two years. At the same time, the company changed its name to UUNET Technologies. In 1990, UUNET launched its AlterNet service, which provided access to an IP backbone independent of the constraints of those operated by the government. That network lives on in a much larger form and serves as the core of a set of products which include access at dial-up and broadband speeds as well as web hosting. In the mid 1990s, UUNET was the fastest growing ISP, outpacing MCI and Sprint. At its peak, Internet traffic was doubling every few months, which translates to 10x growth each year, but it followed the pattern of the dot-com bubble and crashed in 2000/2001.
Verizon
Today, UUNET is an internal brand of Verizon Business (formerly MCI). As of 2005, its Internet service and infrastructure, assigned AS701 maintained the highest outdegree of any ISP.[1][2]
Spam
The name UUNET has lost much of its luster in the eyes of today's network engineers due to Verizon Business' lax policies toward spam. This has led to UUNET gaining the nickname SpewSpewNet in some circles. Although Verizon has now significantly reduced this, as of April 2006 Spamhaus listed 83 known spam sources under the responsibility of Verizon Business.
Timeline
- 1987 - UUNET Communications Services is founded and passes its first traffic via the CompuServe Network on May 12th using UUCP (Unix to Unix Copy Protocol).
- 1989 - UUNET becomes a for-profit corporation
- 1990 - UUNET launches AlterNet
- 1991 - UUNET participates in the founding of the Commercial Internet Exchange Association
- 1995 - In May, UUNET is listed on the NASDAQ stock market in an initial public offering that would become part of the beginning of the dot-com boom.
- 1996 - Metropolitan Fiber Systems (MFS) acquires UUNET for $2/Billion Dollars
- 1996 - WorldCom acquires MFS on New Years Eve - Dec. 31st at 11:58 p.m EST for $12.4/Billion Dollars
- 1998 - On September 15, WorldCom and MCI announced their US$37 billion merger to form MCI WorldCom
- 1998 - WorldCom acquires CompuServe Network Services from H&R Block and ANS Communications from AOL. Both become part of UUNET in 1999.
- 1999 - On October 5th, MCI Worldcom announces its intentions to buy Sprint for $129/Billion Dollars.
- 2000 - The European Commission and DOJ denied the MCI WorldCom / Sprint merger on Anti-Trust Grounds.
- 2000 - The UUNET brand is folded into WorldCom's product line and disappears
- 2003 - The UUNET brand re-emerges as WorldCom's wholesale-only brand
- 2004 - WorldCom renames itself to MCI, still using the UUNET brand for wholesale business.
- 2005 - MCI again drops the UUNET brand for wholesale business. The name is no longer in use to this date.
- 2006 - Verizon acquires MCI, including its UUNET subsidiary, now known as Verizon Business. AS701 remains the backbone of Verizon Business although its origin dates back to 1990 when it was under the UUNET flag.
