Backbone networks are operated by a select group of telecommunications companies known as backbone providers. The Internet backbone is the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected computer networks and core routers of the Internet. These data routes are hosted by commercial, government, academic and other high-capacity network centers as well as the Internet exchange points and. The Internet backbone refers to the high-speed, high-capacity network infrastructure that forms the core of the Internet, connecting major networks and enabling global data exchange. It acts as the internet's "highway system," facilitating communication between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other networks worldwide.
[PDF Version]