[discuss] Question

[Brian E Carpenter]

Nathalie,

I'm not sure the other answers have dissected your questions
sufficiently. In line:

On 22/01/2014 16:14, nathalie coupet wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> I have a few questions.
> 
> How do geocast servers work? 

As far as I can tell there is no real answer to that question
yet, since the topic is (at best) ongoing work in the IETF.

> Could they be used to send an
> email to all IUsers in Africa, for example? What kind of path
> selection algorithm is used when topology and geography
> match? Especially with regards to routing aggregates, routing
> tables, etc.?
> 
> If ownership of cables by a particular ISP 

You don't specify whether you mean 'local loop' cables in the
access network (from central offices or street cabinets to user
premises) or metropolitan/wide area trunks or even international
or intercontinental cables. It matters.

> leads to a
> reduction of the end-user's choice, 

If you mean the access network, if the country has reasonably
modern regulation, the access network cabling and maybe even the
DSLAMs will be owned by a different company from any ISPs.
Whether they are or not, good regulation will indeed require
equal access at equal wholesale pricing for all ISPs. Otherwise
the incumbent has an unfair advantage. Some countries have this
wrong. It can only be made right by regulation.

> how could we really
> ensure an 'open Internet' by allowing various ISPs to provide
> services through the same cables? Could cables enabling
> multiple ISP access be a requirement for 'net neutrality'?

Exactly.

> The user could then switch to an ISP providing services she
> wants, and who would cater to the fringe-to-fringe
> connectivity principle, without interference from ISPs or any
> other intermediary nodes. Could there be competition then
> between an WAN and a LAN provider, in cases where there's
> only one LAN provider in a given area?

Not really; end users have no contact with the WAN provider
(unless they are really big users, of course). If the local loop
 is not regulated for equal access, the only solution is
wireless competition with the incumbent.

IMHO.

   Brian