Market Guide to Global Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Whilst connectivity is often taken for granted in business planning, global internet traffic surged by 12.3% in 2024, with average connection speeds now exceeding 150 Mbps in developed markets as of 2025. This significant increase reflects the growing enterprise need for premium business connectivity solutions that can support increasingly complex digital operations and bandwidth-intensive applications across geographically dispersed locations.
In this article we've analysed global connectivity providers, their reach and the benefits that each offer for IT Decision Makers.
Contents
Table of Contents
What Makes a Strong Global ISP?
High quality services typically deliver high speed connectivity via fibre optic cabling, increase bandwidth and offer security integrations significantly improving the customer experience.
A strong global Internet Service Provider (ISP) for medium-to-large enterprises delivers far more than basic connectivity. The most effective global ISPs maintain extensive worldwide networks with numerous Points of Presence across multiple continents, either through their own communication infrastructure or via trusted local partnerships, allowing for far greater network performance capabilities. This coverage ensures consistent service under a single contract, with shorter network paths leading to improved performance and improving your daily operations.
Core Internet Offerings
Core internet offerings from top-tier ISPs include Dedicated Internet Access with guaranteed bandwidth, broadband internet aggregation services, flexible tiered plans and wireless backup options. These services typically scale from simple connections for smaller sites to multi-gigabit or even terabit speeds (in very large/complex operations), often with usage-based billing flexibility.
One key way to compare ISP connectivity offerings is via their Service Level Agreements, which form the foundation of enterprise-grade internet services and emphasises the extent that an ISP is willing to back your operational uptime. With leading providers committing to at least 99.95% uptime alongside strict performance metrics for latency, jitter and packet loss often factoring, choosing the right metric to match your needs can be very important in separating each vendor and choosing which to shortlist. The best ISPs also extend their own reach through local access partnerships with other providers, allowing for a larger, more global coverage.
As cloud adoption increases, the better ISP offerings tend to provide direct connections to major cloud platforms and maintain presence at key Internet Exchanges, essential for optimising routing to keep cloud traffic local and efficient, an absolute must if your business utilises the cloud for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications.
Security & Cloud Integration
Whilst on the topic of cloud systems, cloud-native network security architectures such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and SSE are commonly paired with global internet offerings. Many providers now integrate security capabilities, either through their own platforms or partnerships, offering SASE/SSE features such as cloud-delivered firewalls and Zero Trust access.
One key determinant for which ISP to shortlist can be the choice between fully managed services, where the ISP handles equipment and monitoring, or unmanaged "wires-only" connections for those preferring to use their own equipment. For organisations implementing the likes of SASE or SD-WAN, the best ISPs offer varying levels of support, from treating internet as pure underlay to providing integrated SD-WAN and SASE offerings with vendor partnerships to ensure all systems are running optimally at all times.
Provider Profiles and Offerings for Leading global Internet Service Providers
BT Global Services
Overview
BT Global Services offers global internet capabilities and guaranteed bandwidth up to 10 Gbps with presence in over 190 countries, combining owned infrastructure and strategic partnerships with other localised ISPs. This global internet backbone ensures consistent performance across continents, combined with SLAs that fulfil the business objectives of multinational enterprises. IT decision makers typically choose BT due to being a one-stop solution that delivers both dedicated internet access and hybrid WAN configurations under a single contract.
Key Highlights
Expereo
Overview
Expereo is the world's largest managed internet access aggregator, providing global reach across over 190 countries through more than 3000 local ISP partnerships. For IT decision makers managing hundreds of sites worldwide, Expereo eliminates the complexity of multiple contracts by offering a single provider solution with unified SLAs and 24/7 support.
Expereo's global strength lies in its vendor-agnostic approach and extensive footprint, particularly in emerging markets where traditional carriers lack infrastructure. Their global Points of Presence are ideal for improving cloud connectivity in these regions, utilising the Expereo Cloud Acceleration (XCA) service for optimised cloud connectivity.
Security integration comes through SASE/SSE partnerships with Cato Networks and Zscaler, delivering cloud-based security as part of their managed service. This approach addresses the needs of remote users, who increasingly rely on direct internet rather than backhauling through corporate networks - allowing for security to be applied in users' homes or remote offices.
Expereo also offer integrations for major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure and Google Cloud) through established on-ramps. Expereo's intelligent routing optimises cloud application performance by up to 30%, creating efficient pathways between global sites and cloud resources, which is ideal for businesses that utilise Software-as-a-Service cloud applications.
Another core component of Expereo's offering is their SD-WAN integration capabilities, with support for leading platforms including VMware VeloCloud, Cisco Meraki and Cisco Catalyst. This combination of managed internet and SD-WAN enables enterprises to transition from legacy MPLS to more flexible, internet-based networking while maintaining performance and security, as well as utilising a vendor-agnostic approach that grants businesses the necessary flexibility to utilise the best suited SD-WAN solution for their needs.
Key Highlights
Comcast Business (Masergy)
Overview
Comcast Business, having acquired Masergy in October 2021, offers a global internet solution through their 50 Points of Presence, which spans across six continents and operates in over 130 countries. For IT decision makers seeking global connectivity solutions, this partnership combines Comcast's extensive U.S. fibre and coax network with Masergy's international SD-WAN backbone to ensure high performance connectivity worldwide.
To accompany their performance capabilities, Comcast offers security integrations, with both customer-edge and cloud-based protection systems. Every Masergy PoP includes Fortinet next-gen firewalls, whilst their SASE (unified platform) combines SD-WAN with cloud security services, therefore extending their partnerships to also include the likes of Palo Alto Prisma. By utilising security services from a range of market leaders, Comcast's approach provides security that can suit a range of business needs, as well as implementing consistent security policies across global locations.
Comcast also ensures optimal cloud connectivity, leveraging direct connections to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud from Masergy's strategically placed PoPs internet exchange points. To add to physical PoPs, Comcast offers Virtual PoPs which extend network functions directly into cloud environments, optimising application performance through private peering relationships.
For today's remote workforce, Comcast Business delivers integrated SASE/SSE solutions, utilising Masergy's technical expertise in SD-WAN and SASE, allowing Comcast to secure internet access regardless of location. Their AIOps-driven network continuously optimises internet traffic flows, ensuring consistent performance for remote users accessing cloud applications. Combined with extensive managed services and white-glove support Comcast Business offers an ideal solution for enterprises requiring high-performance, secure global internet connectivity, even in scenarios where enterprises don't have the dedicated resources to manage the network themselves.
Key Highlights
AT&T Business
Overview
AT&T Business are well-known for their US telecommunications and are recognised as a worldwide connectivity leader. Delivering Dedicated Internet Access in over 67 countries, whilst also extending to 200 countries through a range of strategic localised partnerships. Therefore, for IT decision makers seeking enterprise-grade global connectivity in almost any country, AT&T should be considered for any shortlist.
AT&Ts DIA service scales from 2 Mbps to an industry-leading 1 Tbps, backed by a 99.95% uptime SLA and wireless backup options that ensure business continuity even in the event of main link downtime. For reliable internet connections, AT&T offers services that are delivered via one of the world's largest IP backbones, carrying 465+ petabytes daily with optimised routes to major cloud providers - meaning your business can rest assured that your network traffic is in good hands.
AT&T also offers security in the form of edge-based managed routers and firewalls, all the way up to cloud-based features, such as their DDoS protection and AlienVault security portfolio. AT&T's cloud connectivity solutions directly interconnect with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and other cloud services through private peering, ensuring optimal performance for cloud workloads and SaaS applications.
To offer SD-WAN deployments, AT&T implements SD-WAN over their internet underlay, partnering with the likes of VMware VeloCloud and Cisco Catalyst to offer customers with a range of vendor's solutions. Further to SD-WAN, AT&T's SASE offerings utilise both Palo Alto and Cisco to address the needs of remote workforces, securing connections regardless of user location. With major regional hubs in key markets (New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore), extensive submarine cable ownership and local expertise in numerous countries, the key selling point of AT&T is their ability to deliver a uniform experience worldwide.
Key Highlights
Lumen Technologies
Overview
Lumen Technologies operates one of the world's largest Tier-1 internet backbones, making it a great choice for IT decision makers requiring global internet connectivity. With over 450,000 route miles of fibre, spanning more than 60 countries and 450 cities, Lumen's network dominates global IP rankings, minimising hops and optimising routing worldwide.
For enterprises seeking security, Lumen offers DDoS mitigation leveraging its massive 80+ Tbps backbone capacity to absorb attacks. Meanwhile, Lumen's Black Lotus Labs threat intelligence provides advanced protection at both customer edge and cloud levels, offering security for dispersed workforces.
Lumen's Cloud Connect solutions deliver private connections to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, often co-located in the same facilities for minimal latency. This enables enterprises to create hybrid environments where cloud and SaaS workloads benefit from Lumen's peering relationships.
To complement this, Lumen partners with leading vendors of SD-WAN - VMware, Versa and Cisco, providing both the critical internet underlay and security overlay in a unified solution. Despite selling its EMEA operations to Colt, Lumen maintains global reach through strategic partnerships, ensuring consistent service quality across regions.
Key Highlights
NTT Ltd (NTT Communications)
Overview
NTT offers global internet capabilities through its tier 1 backbone network, spanning more than 75 points of presence across over 30 countries, IT decision makers should shortlist NTT for their unrivalled Asia-Pacific presence - especially beneficial for businesses operating in this region. Utilising a single global ASN architecture, NTT offer routing consistency for global internet traffic resilience.
To back up their global internet, NTT's security framework comes in both customer-edge solutions (managed routers/firewalls) and cloud-based options. Cloud offerings also include SASE implementations, with NTT bolstering their security via SASE partnerships with market leaders Palo Alto and Zscaler, which is essential for enabling remote workforces who increasingly require secure access to applications from anywhere.
Further to SASE, NTT's Cloud options extend to connectivity, with dedicated Cloud Connect services providing private links to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and IBM Cloud. These connections leverage NTT's peering relationships and data centre footprint where cloud providers often colocate, enabling low-latency performance for SaaS applications.
As well as SASE, NTT offers SD-WAN deployments by combining their internet underlay with managed overlay services. Having acquired Virtela, NTT can route traffic via regional gateways across 190 countries, optimising performance by minimising public internet exposure to the last mile.
Key Highlights
Tata Communications
Overview
Tata Communications provide global internet capabilities through their IZO Internet WAN solution, offering enterprise-grade reliability over public internet. With end-to-end SLAs across 150 countries, IT decision makers should shortlist Tata for an emerging, yet extensive, market coverage, the largest wholly-owned subsea cable network and ability to transform internet into an MPLS-like experience - making use of Tata's 20+ ISP partnerships for predictable routing algorithms.
Tata's security options include managed CPE solutions, IZO Firewall as a Service and SASE integrations through partnerships with Netskope and Zscaler, providing protection at both the customer edge and within cloud environments.
Cloud connectivity utilises IZO Cloud Connect integrations, providing direct private links to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Salesforce in more than 19 countries - with their Microsoft Azure Peering Service ensures optimised, SLA-backed Office 365 performance.
Tata's SD-WAN offering, available across 130 countries, utilises partnerships with multiple vendors such as Cisco Catalyst, Versa Networks and Fortinet. By utilising a vendor-agnostic approach, Tata not only enables remote use cases but also allows for tailoring to specific business requirements. By combining managed SD-WAN, secure web gateways and optimised internet connectivity (to form a more-full SASE framework), businesses can benefit from Tata's Secure Connected Digital Experience.
Key Highlights
Orange Business Services
Overview
Orange Business offers internet solutions across 220 countries, making it the ideal candidate for IT decision makers to shortlist for worldwide connectivity. With over 200 PoPs worldwide and network infrastructure strength in both Europe and Africa/Middle East regions, Orange provides widespread coverage for multinational enterprises operating in these regions.
Orange's internet portfolio ranges from dedicated fibre access up to 10Gbps, to managed broadband, all backed by SLAs. Orange adds to their internet portfolio through their security integrations, with options at both customer edge (including managed CPE and firewalls), as well as cloud-based security, such as Secure Gateway services with URL filtering and anti-malware.
For cloud connectivity, Orange's Business VPN solution enables optimised access to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and other providers through direct peering arrangements, keeping cloud traffic within Orange's backbone for superior performance.
To go alongside Orange's internet solutions, Orange offers integrations for SD-WAN, leveraging Cisco and Fortinet partnerships. This integration enables businesses to build hybrid networks that balance performance and cost, whilst the expansion to SASE capabilities combine SD-WAN with cloud security nodes (both proprietary and partnerships with Zscaler/Palo Alto), extending protection to remote users regardless of location.
Key Highlights
Singtel
Overview
Singtel delivers their global internet offering through their AI-driven CONNECTPlus suite, providing superior Asia-Pacific coverage with extensive global reach. With 36 internet PoPs and partnerships with more than 100 ISPs, Singtel provides connectivity backed by substantial subsea cable investments.
IT decision makers should shortlist Singtel for their algo-routing technology, which has been known to deliver 30% higher internet performance by intelligently optimising traffic paths in real-time across multiple ISP networks. This multi-vendor approach creates a more deterministic, enterprise-grade internet experience managed through a unified dashboard.
Singtel's security portfolio delivers SASE capabilities, integrating cloud-based protections including DDoS mitigation, DNS security, secure web gateways, CASB and cloud firewalls to secure both office and remote users. These offerings are boosted by Singtel's Trustwave ownership, which improves their security credibility for distributed workforces.
To put the likes of Singtel's CASB capabilities to test, Singtel offers direct cloud connections to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM and Alibaba Cloud through Cloud Access Points that optimise traffic paths, ensuring reliable connectivity for SaaS application performance. One way these cloud connections are implemented is through Singtel's pairing of their global internet with vendor-agnostic SD-WAN solutions (supporting Cisco, VMware and Fortinet), creating hybrid networks with on-demand scalability.
Key Highlights
Verizon Business
Overview
Verizon Business delivers enterprise-grade global internet connectivity through their Tier 1 network, offering coverage in over 73 countries with direct presence in 39 and partner-extended reach in the other 34. IT decision makers should shortlist Verizon for their reliability, featuring 100% availability SLAs and capacity scaling from 10 Mbps to 1 Tbps for high performance requirements.
Verizon's security integrations come in both customer-edge and cloud-based solutions, with their DDoS Shield providing built-in mitigation whilst their Secure Gateway delivers cloud-based web security for all internet traffic. This approach aligns with their SASE offerings, supporting remote users through integrated security stacks.
Verizon's global backbone directly connects to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud through their Secure Cloud Interconnect service, optimising performance for cloud-dependent enterprises, providing one to two-hop connectivity to major cloud platforms from virtually anywhere on their network.
To overlay their connectivity, Verizon provides support for multiple SD-WAN vendors including Cisco, Versa and VMware, with their managed SD-WAN providing unified management through their Enterprise Center portal.
Key Highlights
Vodafone Business
Overview
Vodafone Business provides global internet connectivity through an extensive network spanning more than 150 countries, utilising 212 PoPs worldwide. Vodafone's reach was significantly expanded following the acquisition of Cable & Wireless, positioning Vodafone as a leading global provider - particularly strong in EMEA and APAC regions.
IT decision makers should consider shortlisting Vodafone for their combination of mobile and fixed connectivity solutions and Dedicated Internet Access offering speeds up to 10Gbps. This offers businesses with more complete solutions including mobile integration, IoT capabilities and competitive pricing with flexible approaches for a range of different business needs.
Vodafone provides security to complement their global connectivity, delivered through both customer-edge and cloud-based options, leveraging partnerships with providers such as Zscaler. This is extended by Vodafone's SASE offerings, which protect remote users and distributed workforces, utilising the likes of VMware and Cisco. One part of this offering includes their managed SD-WAN service, enabling unified policy management across fixed and mobile connections, whilst their Vodafone Cloud Connect improves connectivity to AWS, Azure and major cloud providers, with high-speed interconnects and regional internet breakouts optimising application performance globally.
Key Highlights
Cloudflare
Overview
Whilst not a traditional ISP, Cloudflare offers global connectivity through its massive anycast network, which spans over 330 cities across more than 120 countries. IT decision makers are increasingly shortlisting Cloudflare for their global WAN backbone and secure gateway offerings, which when combined, securely connect branches to the nearest Cloudflare node over local ISP links.
Cloudflare's global reach puts 95% of internet users within 50 ms of their network, with direct peering to over 12,000 networks, traffic often goes directly to destination networks at Cloudflare's edge, reducing hops and improving performance for cloud services worldwide.
Whilst replacing traditional SD-WAN appliances, Cloudflare Magic WAN functions as a cloud-delivered SD-WAN, creating an optimised backbone for their global connectivity. Security is delivered entirely from the cloud with Cloudflare One's SASE platform, building on the Magic SD-WAN and providing cloud-based firewalls, secure web gateways, CASB and zero-trust access policies enforcement.
Cloudflare optimises connections to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud by leveraging their peering relationships, often connecting directly to cloud providers within the same facilities, eliminating traditional routing inefficiencies.
Key Highlights
Aryaka
Overview
Aryaka delivers a fully managed SD-WAN and SASE solution through its proprietary global network spanning over 40 strategically positioned PoPs across six continents. IT decision makers should shortlist Aryaka for their ability to combine internet flexibility with private-network predictability, creating an optimised middle-mile that avoids public internet inefficiencies for intercontinental connectivity.
This global network architecture particularly excels for enterprises with sites in regions with suboptimal internet performance, connecting locations in Asia, Europe and the Americas with MPLS-like reliability but internet-like agility and often at a better price.
Security is integrated through both cloud and edge approaches - Aryaka's SASE capabilities provide cloud-based security at their PoPs, whilst their ANAP devices deliver edge security functions at customer premises allowing for localised security policy enforcement without backhauling traffic globally.
Aryaka easily connects enterprise locations to AWS, Azure and Google Cloud through virtual endpoints and cloud VPC integration, ensuring optimised performance to cloud resources via their private backbone rather than unpredictable public internet paths.
Key Highlights
GTT Communications
Overview
GTT Communications offers a global internet backbone that spans six continents and provides service in over 130 countries. IT decision makers typically choose GTT for their global reach capabilities and performance advantages, directly connecting to approximately one-third of all of the internet, resulting in lower latency and reduced congestion points.
GTT's security portfolio integrations within their network infrastructure embeds security directly, such as through DDoS prevention centres and next-generation firewalls. When considering data sovereignty and data security, organisations will often appreciate that over 70% of customer traffic never leaves GTT's network, with their Secure Connect platform also delivering further SASE network services, complemented by managed firewall services available as both cloud-based and CPE solutions to create a complete security solution for both cloud and premises use cases.
GTT's Cloud Connect service provides dedicated routes to the major cloud platforms AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, utilising either layer 3 routing or layer 2 circuits for an average sub 5ms latency to cloud on-ramps when customers are located near GTT's points of presence.
To complement GTT's internet service, GTT offers SD-WAN to sit over the top of their global backbone underlay. GTT positions SD-WAN gateways strategically within their PoPs, enabling remote users to establish secure connections directly to the nearest gateway before accessing GTT's controlled backbone. This serves as a significant advantage for remote workforce environments as this enables SASE/SSE solutions to be leveraged for both improved security and high-performance global internet connectivity.
Key Highlights
Provider Comparison Table
Compare key features and capabilities across all providers
Key Selection Criteria
When selecting from these providers, consider your primary geographic requirements, bandwidth needs, security integration preferences, and whether you require traditional ISP services or modern cloud-native solutions. Each provider offers unique strengths - from BT's comprehensive global security to Cloudflare's edge performance, from AT&T's massive scale to Expereo's emerging market reach.