Point of Presence (POP)

Point of presence (POP) is the point at which two or more differentnetworks or communication devices build a connection with each other. POP mainly refers to an access point, location or facility that connects to and helps other devices establish a connection with the Internet. POP is primarily the infrastructure that allows remote users connect to connect to the Internet. A POP is generally present at an Internet service provider (ISP) or the telecommunication service provider. It can consist of a router, switches, servers and other data communication devices. An ISP or telecom provider might maintain more than one POP at different locations, with each catering to a distinct user base. Moreover, POP also supports the conversion of analog to digital data and vice versa to complement different data communication technologies and receiving devices.

How Points of Presence Work
Points of presence work very much like Internet exchange points, only on a smaller scale. The equipment located in a point of presence can be broken down into five categories:

• Base stations: A central point of connection with an access point and bandwidth management to distribute connection speeds
• Client equipment: Used by customers to connect to the central point of connection
• Network switches: Provides the link to the “last mile” and is used for distribution
• Routers– Provides multiple routes to the network
• Firewall– Protects from internal and external threats