Note: Many topics at this site are reduced versions of the text in "The Encyclopedia of Networking and Telecommunications." Search results will not be as extensive as a search of the book's CD-ROM.

A PoP is a place where communications services are available to subscribers. Internet service providers have one or more PoPs within their service area that local users dial into. This may be co-located at a carrier's central office. Most ISPs have multiple PoPs in different geographic locations so subscribers can dial into a number that is local to them. If you were to visit a PoP facility, you would see racks of modems, routers, servers, and communications gear. Some PoPs provide co-location services, since much of the equipment is owned by different service providers.

This topic continues in "The Encyclopedia of Networking and Telecommunications" with a discussion of the following:

• PoPs in the telephone system
• Virtual PoP services for ISPs, including:
• RACs (remote access concentrators) for modem integration
• Colocation of RACs to PoPs to form megaPoPs
• Evolution to "virtual PoPs"
• L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol)
• GigaPoP, as defined by the Internet2 Consortium

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