Network cities and the global structure of the Internet

Cities have played an important role in the process of globalization as cen ters for information exchange. Urban scholars note that a handful of domina nt financial services centers-so-called global cities-has dominated interna tional telecommunications networks. Yet these and others have failed to und erstand how new telecommunications technologies, particularly the Internet, are enabling a far broader diffusion of international interurban connectiv ity, afar more complex global web than in earlier eras. This article presen ts evidence on the Internet backbone in which traditionally dominant urban hubs for international communications - London, New York, and Tokyo - are i ncreasingly being supplemented by other hubs within their regions. The glob al structure of the Internet reflects a shift in the geography of telecommu nications networks and the emergence of a network of network cities. To cop e with this challenge, urban planners are urged to address three issues: de pendency on other cities and urban areas, accessibility to global Internet backbone networks, and proficiency with communications technology.