An ISP that uses the facilities and services (servers, switches, backbone, etc.) of a large ISP, but retains its own branding for marketing and billing purposes. Virtual ISPs are often formed to target a specific group, whether by location, profession, language or other subject of common interest. A virtual ISP, also known as an "affinity ISP," might be created for a charity, a church, an entertainer, virtually any group or cause that is popular. After obtaining a sufficient number of customers, a virtual ISP may decide to build its own facilities and operate independently.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Live from Googleplex: Chrome OS details revealed
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