Point of Presence

Why Trust Techopedia

What Does Point of Presence Mean?

Point of presence (POP) is the point at which two or more different networks or communication devices build a connection with each other. POP mainly refers to an access point, location or facility that connects to and helps other devices establish a connection with the Internet.

Advertisements

Techopedia Explains Point of Presence

POP is primarily the infrastructure that allows remote users connect to connect to the Internet. A POP is generally present at an Internet service provider (ISP) or the telecommunication service provider. It can consist of a router, switches, servers and other data communication devices. An ISP or telecom provider might maintain more than one POP at different locations, with each catering to a distinct user base. Moreover, POP also supports the conversion of analog to digital data and vice versa to complement different data communication technologies and receiving devices.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.