What’s The Difference Between Tier 1, 2 and 3 Ca

What’s The Difference Between Tier 1, 2 and 3 Carriers, And Who Are They In The US?
February 03, 2010 -- By Justin

Delving into the technical aspects of wireless carriers and how they operate, one interesting concept relates to how the carriers access and distribute its network backbone- meaning mobile voice and data services. You’ve likely heard the terms “tier-1″ or tier-2″ carriers, but what does it mean and how do the major US carriers stack up?

Put simply, a tier-1 carrier possess a network in which it’s the sole operator- meaning it has a direct connection to the Internet and the networks it uses to deliver voice and data services. Similarly, a tier-2 carrier operates the same way, except it may get a portion of its network from a tier-1 operator by way of a concept known as “peering,” which can be loosely defined as piggybacking onto the network already in place by a tier-1 source. Tier-3 refers to a carrier who gets 100% of its network through a tier-1 or tier-2 operator, with no direct-access of its own.
http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/whats-the...they-5182/

Tier 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tier_1_network