Short answer: Lumen Intelligent Internet is Lumen's on-demand business internet service and the next version of Internet On-Demand (IoD). It is built on a Lumen Fabric Port, managed through Lumen Connect or an API, and runs from 1 Mbps to 100 Gbps on existing Fabric Ports. Lumen announced it on September 21, 2026 and added term-based pricing alongside hourly billing.
What Happened
On September 21, 2026, Lumen announced Lumen Intelligent Internet, which it calls the next evolution of its enterprise internet offering. Lumen's documentation now says Internet On-Demand "has evolved into Lumen Intelligent Internet."
If you run Internet On-Demand (IoD) circuits, your first question is probably whether you need to do anything. Here is what Lumen has published so far, and what I would check.
What Lumen Says Is New
Lumen's announcement lists these features:
- • Term-based pricing: a predictable monthly rate, with the option to adjust capacity when needed.
- • Pre-ordering: ordering ahead using a new fabric port.
- • Digital management: setting up and changing connectivity through Lumen Connect or APIs.
- • Capacity scaling: raising or lowering bandwidth as needs change, up to 100 Gbps.
- • Security: DDoS Essentials for large-scale attacks, and Lumen Defender to block known threats.
Some of this describes what IoD customers already had. Term-based pricing is the only pricing change Lumen names.
What You Will Still See Under the Old Name
The rename has not reached everything yet:
- • Lumen's documentation says you will continue to see the name Internet On-Demand in Lumen Connect.
- • The same documentation still refers to the "Internet On-Demand APIs."
- • It does not describe any API or ordering change tied to the new name.
So if you search for one name and find the other, you are probably looking at the same service.
Key Facts
| Item | What Lumen says |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 1 Mbps to 100 Gbps on existing Fabric Ports |
| Foundation | Starts with a Lumen Fabric Port |
| Management | Lumen Connect or API |
| Bandwidth changes | Take minutes, with no change orders |
| Availability | More than 10 million US business locations |
| SLA | 99.99% service availability |
Off-net locations require contacting Lumen sales, and the service is not available everywhere.
Listed Hourly Rates
Lumen's product page listed these starting rates on November 5, 2026:
| Tier | Starting rate per hour |
|---|---|
| 1 Mbps backup | $0.10 |
| 50 Mbps | $0.37 |
| 100 Mbps | $0.47 |
| 1 Gbps | $1.06 |
| 10 Gbps | $3.93 |
Lumen says these rates are per connection, in US dollars, for eligible US business customers, and exclude taxes and fees. A NaaS-enabled port is required, which can carry a separate minimum term and early termination charges. Lumen can change its offers, so check the current rates.
Security Add-On Limits
Lumen says neither DDoS Essentials nor Lumen Defender is available on IPv6 or dual-stack configurations, and Defender is not available above 1 Gbps. If you schedule a connection above 1 Gbps, check how that affects Defender first.
Hourly or Term-Based: Run the Numbers
This is the part that deserves real attention. Bandwidth scheduling saves money because you pay for the tier you have ordered, hour by hour, so dropping the tier off-peak lowers the bill. A predictable monthly rate works differently, and the same schedule may not produce the same savings.
Lumen's announcement does not publish term-based rates, so I can't tell you which is cheaper. Before you commit to a term:
- • Ask your Lumen contact for a written term-based quote.
- • Estimate what your hourly schedule would cost using the IoD savings calculator.
- • Compare the two over the full term, not just one month.
- • Ask how often you can change capacity on a term, and whether a change affects your rate.
If You Use Apptifi
Apptifi still uses "IoD" in its pages and web addresses, so existing links and guides stay valid. If you are considering term-based pricing or a fabric port pre-order, talk to us first so we can check how it fits your schedules.
Sources: Lumen press release, September 21, 2026 , the Lumen Intelligent Internet product page, and Lumen Intelligent Internet documentation. Apptifi is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lumen Technologies.