IIG (International Internet Gateway)

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Summary
What is an IIG? Understand the role of International Internet Gateways in Bangladesh and how they connect your local ISP to the global internet backbone.

Summary

An IIG (International Internet Gateway) is a licensed intermediary in Bangladesh that acts as a bridge between local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the international internet. IIGs aggregate traffic from ISPs and route it through submarine cables ( BSCPLC ) or overland terrestrial cables ( ITC ).

Overview

In the Bangladesh internet hierarchy, the IIG sits in the middle:

  1. The Source: BSCPLC (Submarine) or ITC (Terrestrial cables from India).
  2. The Wholesaler (IIG): Companies like Fiber@Home, Summit Communications, or Amber IT.
  3. The Retailer (ISP): Your local provider (e.g., Link3, Dot Internet, or a neighborhood ISP).
  4. The Consumer: You.

Without an IIG, a local ISP would not have the legal or technical means to access global websites like Google, Facebook, or Amazon.

Technical Deep-Dive

IIGs provide a service known as IP Transit. Their core responsibilities include:

  • BGP Routing: IIGs use Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to determine the best path for your data to reach international destinations.
  • Bandwidth Management: They buy massive amounts of bandwidth (e.g., 100Gbps+ links) and “slice” it for hundreds of different ISPs.
  • Redundancy: A reliable IIG maintains multiple upstream paths. If one submarine cable is cut, the IIG automatically reroutes traffic through another cable or an ITC link.
  • Peering: IIGs often peer with BDIX or international content providers (like Google or Akamai) to keep local traffic within the country, reducing latency.

Bangladesh Context

As of 2024, there are over 30 licensed IIGs in Bangladesh. When you experience “high ping” in online games, it is often due to the way your ISP’s IIG is routing traffic. If an IIG has poor routing or lacks enough capacity, users will experience lag even if their “local” speed test to a Dhaka server looks perfect.

FAQ

  • Q: Can I buy internet directly from an IIG?
    • A: No. IIGs are wholesale-only. They are prohibited by BTRC from selling directly to end-users unless they also hold a separate ISP license.
  • Q: Why does my internet slow down when the submarine cable is cut?
    • A: When a cable fails, IIGs must move all traffic to backup links (often through India). These backup links can become “congested” (overloaded), leading to slower speeds for everyone connected to that IIG.

Related Content

References