A carrier-neutral data center is a colocation facility where customers can choose among multiple unaffiliated carriers and network providers, without the operator placing discriminatory restrictions on any of them. Those carriers bring fiber into the building, and tenants choose which ones to buy from, connecting to them with cross-connects. Some neutral operators also sell connectivity of their own; that does not by itself make a facility non-neutral, as long as customers remain free to use other carriers on fair terms.
At a glance
- Neutrality means customers can choose among multiple unaffiliated carriers in the building, without discriminatory restrictions from the operator.
- The number of carriers present varies widely by facility and location.
- Tenants connect to carriers, clouds and partners through cross-connects, typically billed per connection.
- Choice of carrier supports price competition, carrier diversity and easier changes at renewal.
What problem it solves
If your servers sit in a facility owned by a carrier that only sells its own network, that carrier has a strong hand at every renewal. Adding a second provider for resilience may be impossible or require special permission, and moving to a cheaper or better network can mean moving your equipment.
A carrier-neutral data center separates the decision about where your equipment lives from the decision about whose network carries your traffic. You can buy internet from one carrier, a private line from another and a cloud connection from a third, all inside the same building, and change any of them later without touching your racks. That also makes it simpler to have two carriers serving you for resilience, though true path diversity depends on how each carrier routes into and out of the building.
How it works
Carriers on site. Carriers decide whether to build into a facility, usually based on how many customers they can reach there. They lease space for their equipment and bring fiber in through the building’s entrances.
Meet-me rooms. Each carrier’s network, and each tenant’s, is cabled to patch panels in one or more meet-me rooms. The operator connects parties by running a cross-connect between the right panels.
Ordering service. You contract directly with the carrier for its service, and separately order the cross-connect from the data center operator. The carrier may need a letter of authorization from you that tells the operator where to land the connection.
Ecosystem. Larger neutral facilities often add internet exchanges, cloud on-ramps and interconnection fabrics, so tenants can reach many networks and clouds through one port.
Degrees of neutrality. Policies vary. Some operators also sell their own network or bandwidth products alongside third-party carriers, or offer bundles; that alone does not negate neutrality. What matters is whether other carriers can serve you on fair terms. Ask whether any carrier faces extra fees or restrictions that others do not.
For help finding a facility with the carriers you need, see our Colocation solution page.
When it matters for buyers
- Choosing a colocation site. The carriers and clouds present can matter more than the rent over the life of the contract.
- Planning for resilience. Two carriers on different paths is easier to arrange in a neutral facility.
- Renewing network contracts. Competition in the building gives you real alternatives to negotiate with.
- Consolidating connections. A neutral facility is a natural place to interconnect with clouds, partners and multiple carriers at once.
Questions to ask vendors
- Which carriers are lit and actively selling service in this building today, not just listed?
- Do you sell your own network or bandwidth products, and are there any restrictions or extra fees for using other carriers?
- What do cross-connects cost to install and per month, and are there volume discounts?
- How long does a cross-connect take to provision?
- How many fiber entrances does the building have, and which carriers use which entrance?
- Which internet exchanges and cloud on-ramps are reachable from the building?
- Can we bring in a carrier that is not yet present, and what would it require?
How it differs from a carrier hotel
A carrier hotel is a building known for the sheer number of networks inside it, usually a fiber hub in a city center. Carrier-neutral describes whether customers can choose freely among unaffiliated carriers, wherever the building is. Many carrier hotels are carrier-neutral, but a carrier-neutral data center can be a modest suburban site with only a few networks present. When choosing a site, check both the policy and the actual list of networks.