In data center parlance, the term Carrier Neutral refers to an IT environment in which customers have access to multiple internet service providers (ISPs), often concurrently to ensure redundancy.

Customers of carrier-neutral data centers often enjoy lower connectivity costs than sole-carrier facilities since the built-in competition acts as an incentive for ISPs to keep costs low and customer satisfaction high. And since the network infrastructure is all interconnected, dissatisfied customers can easily switch providers without interrupting their operations. Customers often connect their critical systems to multiple carrier networks to provide continuity in the event of a service outage with one carrier. They may also take a blended approach to carrier service, which can help protect their systems against cybersecurity threats.