What Does it Take to Be an Internet Service Provider? Nizar R. Mabroukeh, M.Sc., C.S. Computer Engineering / KFUPM 18 th Annual Computer Exhibition - KFUPM 25 th Jan., 2000

Topics to be Covered What will you need ? Infra-structure Team How to Start? Advertise Sell Promote How to keep up? Content How to develop? Plan Team

What Will You Need? Infra-structure A connection to a larger Internet Provider. Hardware and Software to provide Internet Services.

Connecting To A Larger ISP

Hardware depends on type of connection. You are connecting your LAN to the larger provider. Generally, you will need: An appropriate Router. A Gateway, if different types of network. A Proxy server to cache your link. A Firewall to protect your LAN from intruders. May need a leased-line modem or digital modem.

HW & SW to Provide Internet You will providing for 3 types of customers: Your local users on your LAN (directly connected to the servers) Dial-up users (using Modem) Corporate accounts (Leased-lines, VPNs, Frame-Relay…etc.), like Internet Cafès and Intranet solutions to companies.

HW & SW to Provide Internet For the 3 different types you will need: A machine for each of the following applications: Web Server: Ex. Microsoft Internet Information Server (MIIS), Apache server (for Linux)… Proxy Server: Ex. Netscape Proxy Server Server: Ex. Microsoft Exchange. Firewall: to protect your LAN from the last 2 types of customers. Ex.: SQUID, ipchains…

Dial-up Customers HW For dial-up customers you will need a pool of modems (a modem for every phone line you have). A customer dials your service using a pilot number which will connect him to the first available line from the pool. Thus you need a Port Master and a RAS (Remote Access Server). User Authentication follows the OS on the RAS.

Corporate Accounts HW Leased-line modem, Frame-Relay switchs, VPN routers…etc. depending on connection type. Most importantly you will need to have a pool of vacant and static IP addresses to provide.

Your Team Technical Team Customer Support Team Sales Team Marketing and Promotion Team Billing and Accounting Team (Customer Care) Content and Quality of Service Team

Technical Team Configures, manages and administers your connection as well as troubleshooting problems on the LAN and the Internet setup. Supports and provides connection to corporate users. Responsible for providing a continuous and smooth link with appropriate bandwidth to your ISP (Tune the connection).

Customer Support Team On-site installation and setup of service for dial-up users. Help-Desk service and troubleshooting. Provides After-Sales service for dial-up users and small corporate accounts (like Internet Cafés). Takes customer notes on service. Works side-by-side with Technical team.

Sales Team Sell…Sell…Sell… First Contact with customer thus first on-ground impression about company. Must be knowledgeable about The Internet in general and about the company’s capabilities. Promise only what the company can deliver and deliver what was promised. Make friends with customers and keep in contact after closing the deal. You Better have a sub-team for corporate accounts.

Marketing and Promotion Team Advertise  Sell  Market  Promote. Marketing is important for continuity of the company as well as in competition. Hold promotional campaigns taking chances of special occasions. Must have a clear goal (part of the general mission of the company) on each campaign. Should be flexible and fluctuant with Competition (able to compete).

Billing and Accounting Team Must be online with customer database Always on contact and direct arrangement with Marketing team. Aware of their limits that might depend on technical matters of the link. Ex.: If server cannot keep track of off-peak hours, we cannot sell off-peak accounts.

Content and Quality of Service Team They provide content to the users. Design your webpage and keep it up to date. Keep users attracted and entertained: Hold newgroups discussions. Link people together: Chatting Services, small tutorials, free personal websites for users… Link your users to the government or people who interest them. Provide E-Commerce.

You Have All The Gadgets Fully Equipped and ready….  Let’s Hit The Market

Start Your Business After you have decided on your company mission, you can advertise on the grounds of this mission. Sell: In-door sales: For walk-in customers Out-door sales: Target a special class or group of people or industry sector, collect contacts, call them on the phone and visit them. Market and Promote (again, have clear goals and targets)

Important Points for Sales Internet Customers are usually interested in: Price vs. quality of service. Customer Support (after-sales service). On-call Tech. Service. Trial accounts. Your Bandwidth and your ISP. If I am a customer, I would ask you to convince me to buy from you and not other companies. This is when your “content” comes into action.

Ensure Continuity Try as much as possible to keep your configuration tuned for best performance. If you need more bandwidth get more. If you need more phone lines get more. You might need to install new modems to keep up with technology that you’re customers are using, do it. Provide Content and Entertainment as mentioned before. Make a survey about your service every now and then by calling customers and asking them (keep up quality of service).

Ensure Continuity Get rid of nosey customers, naggers, hackers, and hot shots ! HOW? Make friends with your loyal customers, arrange gatherings. You can also promote and market for your new services in these gatherings.

Future Development The Internet is growing dramatically everyday. Thus the emergent need for development to keep up with technology. It would be good if you had future plans in mind since day one of establishing your company. Development in hardware and in content.

Development Team Establish a team for Research and Development (R&D). Give them resources they need: Money, testing devices, library, research tools… Usually R&D is the most money and time- consuming department in any company.

R&D Responsibilities Should follow up on new technologies and services. Should be able to carry out experimentation and testing on new technologies and provide management with consultation and support in futuristic plans. Should be able to come out with new ideas and plans to enhance the performance of employees, the network and the system as a whole.

Summary We have seen the basic steps one needs to start his business as an ISP. To be a successful ISP keep in mind the following points: Good planning (the internet provides a lot of services and there is a lot of technology involved, you might get lost). Robust connection to your ISP and enough resources. Quality of service. A lot of customer care. The competition is wild !

Points to Ponder: Globalization: What is your part in it? And where is your contribution to it? Will Bill Gates rule the world !? Is it true that in the future every company will be an Internet company?!