Network Openness PolicyAugust 11, 2009Merit Network employs standard best effort Internet delivery policy to ensure that any organization, institution or entity connected, directly or indirectly, to Merit's fiber backbone may exercise choice in lawful Internet content, web-based application and use of Merit or competitor service, including any device which is not harmful to the network. All of the preceding is subject to the needs of law enforcement. Merit Network does not favor any lawful Internet applications or content over others, and is committed to enabling competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers. Merit Network manages its layer 3 network with network-neutral, best-effort practices that satisfy non-discrimination and interconnection obligations. During weekly meetings, Merit engineers review proposed changes to the network infrastructure to ensure that network availability will not be compromised and to confirm that networking standards and best practices are followed. Emergency network change requests and network maintenance proposals undergo a strict network design review to ensure the integrity of the network and to preserve the neutral network environment. Merit Network offers interconnection wherever technically feasible on reasonable rates and terms to be reached upon negotiation in good faith with requesting parties. Merit actively engages and encourages open settlement-free peering with providers and operators. Merit's network management policies prohibit the discrimination of legitimate or legal use of network capacity bandwidth by application, source or use of the network. For organizations that subscribe to MeritMail, Merit Network may employ filtering for SPAM and viruses on email sent to the subscribing organizations. Merit Network does not limit or impose any limitations on users at subscribing organizations to lawfully possess, use, or distribute Internet content. |