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Abstract

Low latency is a requirement for a variety of interactive network
applications. The Internet, however, is not optimized for latency. We thus
explore the design of cost-effective wide-area networks that move data over
paths very close to great-circle paths, at speeds very close to the speed of
light in vacuum. Our cISP design augments the Internet's fiber with free-space
wireless connectivity. cISP addresses the fundamental challenge of
simultaneously providing low latency and scalable bandwidth, while accounting
for numerous practical factors ranging from transmission tower availability to
packet queuing. We show that instantiations of cISP across the contiguous
United States and Europe would achieve mean latencies within 5% of that
achievable using great-circle paths at the speed of light, over medium and long
distances. Further, we estimate that the economic value from such networks
would substantially exceed their expense.