Network connectivity quality is crucial. When choosing server rental options, international bandwidth and CN2 optimized bandwidth become core decision points. For companies expanding overseas, this is far more than a simple either/or choice; it involves a comprehensive balance of network performance, cost structure, and business needs. Let's explore the differences between these two bandwidth types.
International bandwidth, often referred to as "regular bandwidth" or "BGP hybrid line," relies on traditional IP forwarding technology and public internet switching nodes. It transmits data through cost-optimized routing, lacking fine-grained traffic scheduling capabilities and prone to performance fluctuations during periods of network congestion.
CN2 (ChinaNet Next Carrying Network), on the other hand, is China Telecom's next-generation bearer network, designed to provide high-quality guarantees for enterprise-level cross-border communications. It employs Layer 3 MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) technology and a differential Quality of Service (QoS) mechanism, assigning different priorities to data packets to ensure uninterrupted flow of critical business traffic.
Performance comparison is the most direct manifestation of the difference between the two bandwidths. In terms of network latency, CN2 optimized bandwidth, through optimized routing strategies, keeps the latency between China and major international nodes within 150 milliseconds. Taking the US West Coast node as an example, in actual testing, the ping latency remained stable at 135-170 milliseconds. In contrast, ordinary international bandwidth, due to excessive routing nodes and imperfect path planning, typically experiences latency exceeding 200 milliseconds.
Packet loss rate is a key indicator of network stability. CN2 lines maintain a packet loss rate below 0.5% during peak hours, thanks to the redundant configuration of its core layer equipment and real-time traffic monitoring mechanisms.
In contrast, ordinary international bandwidth can experience a packet loss rate of 3% or even higher under the same conditions, especially during evening peak hours and holidays, when it is more significantly affected by international outbound congestion.
In terms of routing efficiency, CN2 demonstrates a clear advantage. By deploying a dedicated autonomous system and routing policies, CN2 can intelligently avoid network congestion areas. Test data shows that in links from Europe/America to Asia, CN2 lines reduce the number of hops by an average of 5-7 compared to ordinary lines, improving path efficiency by approximately 25%.
Bandwidth cost is a crucial consideration for enterprise decisions. CN2 lines utilize high-quality cross-border fiber resources, which are typically locked in through long-term contracts, resulting in a unit cost more than 40% higher than ordinary international bandwidth. In terms of specific products, Hong Kong CN2 bandwidth costs approximately $100/Mbps, which is 2-3 times the cost of regular international bandwidth such as CMI.
Looking at server rental prices, the starting monthly payment for a US CN2 host is around $10, while the starting monthly payment for a regular Hong Kong host is around $35, and a Hong Kong CN2 host can cost as much as $60. It's worth noting that although CN2 has a higher unit price, it usually comes with much larger bandwidth resources. For example, a US CN2 host often provides 1Gbps bandwidth or 1TB of traffic, while a similarly priced Hong Kong regular host may only provide 100Mbps of shared bandwidth.
Regular international bandwidth tends to use redundant bandwidth from the spot market, resulting in greater quality fluctuations but lower costs. This cost difference makes CN2 more suitable for business scenarios with strict network quality requirements, while regular international bandwidth provides a feasible solution for budget-sensitive projects.
Faced with these two bandwidth options, enterprises should make decisions based on their own business characteristics.
Scenarios prioritizing CN2 optimized bandwidth include: cross-border businesses with users primarily concentrated in mainland China (especially on telecommunications networks), such as cross-border e-commerce platforms and online payment systems; applications with stringent requirements for low latency and low jitter, such as telemedicine, cloud desktops, and high-frequency financial transactions; and enterprise-level services requiring high availability guarantees, where CN2 typically offers SLA guarantees of over 99.9%.
Scenarios suitable for standard international bandwidth include: projects with limited budgets and high tolerance for network fluctuations; businesses with a wide user base, especially those covering multiple regions in the Asia-Pacific. Websites with visitors not limited to mainland China can also save costs while maintaining speed by using US CN2 hosting; and non-critical business channels in hybrid deployment solutions, used for non-real-time data synchronization tasks such as software downloads and backups.
For many growing enterprises, hybrid architecture is becoming an ideal solution. Deploying core business operations (such as database synchronization and payment interfaces) on CN2 optimized lines ensures the stability of critical operations; while offloading non-sensitive traffic (such as content distribution and software updates) to standard international bandwidth channels. Practice has proven that this solution can reduce costs by 30%-50% while maintaining core business latency below 100 milliseconds.
When choosing server rental options, in addition to bandwidth type, the service provider's technical support capabilities should also be considered. CN2 lines typically come with a dedicated team of operations and maintenance engineers, promising a fault response time of less than 15 minutes, while ordinary international bandwidth often uses a shared operation and maintenance model, with an average fault response time exceeding 1 hour.
Regardless of the bandwidth plan chosen, regular network quality verification is crucial. This can be achieved by observing the routing path using traceroute, testing bandwidth fluctuations using iperf3, and tracking route stability using pingplotter, ensuring that the bandwidth service you receive meets business expectations and SLA commitments.
