What is the internet?

The Internet is a massive global communications network. As its name suggests, it’s more than just one network. It’s a series of thousands of inter-connected networks.

While no one person or organization owns the Internet itself, each Internet service provider (ISP) typically owns its own network, like Luminate Broadband! It buys and installs the specialized networking equipment that makes it possible for customers like you to connect to the Internet.

When you purchase monthly Internet services for your home, your ISP gives you all the physical equipment you need to connect your own devices to the Internet. This includes a physical line, such as a fiber optic cable, that will connect your home to the ISP’s network. Inside your home, this physical line is connected to an electronic device that’s called a modem.