What Is Internet on Demand (IoD)?
Internet on Demand (IoD) is a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) product that lets enterprises change their internet circuit bandwidth in minutes — through an API or portal — rather than waiting weeks for a traditional carrier provisioning order. You pay an hourly rate based on whatever tier your circuit is currently set to. High bandwidth when you need it, low bandwidth when you don’t.
Lumen is the primary IoD provider in the US enterprise market. Their NaaS infrastructure supports on-demand tier changes from 1 Mbps to 100 Gbps on eligible circuits.
IoD vs. Traditional Committed Bandwidth
The core difference is the billing model. Traditional bandwidth is a monthly commitment — you pay the same rate whether you use full capacity or let it sit idle overnight. IoD flips this to hourly billing at whatever tier you’ve ordered.
| Traditional Bandwidth | Internet on Demand | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed monthly fee | Hourly rate per tier |
| Tier changes | 2–8 week provisioning | Minutes via API |
| Billing basis | Committed rate, always | Ordered tier only |
| Off-peak cost | Full rate, 24/7 | Drop to lowest tier |
| API access | Rarely available | Standard (NaaS API) |
| Optimization lever | None | Scheduling |
| Best for | Steady, predictable loads | Variable / burst workloads |
| Contract flexibility | Multi-year commitment | No term commitment |
The key insight: you’re billed for the tier you *ordered*, not what you actually *used*. A circuit set to 1 Gbps that only pushes 50 Mbps of traffic still incurs the 1 Gbps hourly rate. That makes proactive scheduling — lowering the tier during off-peak hours — the primary cost lever.
Real Cost Savings Example
Consider a mid-size enterprise with a single 1 Gbps IoD circuit running at full tier 24/7:
- • **Full-tier hours per month:** 720 hours
- • **Typical Lumen 1 Gbps hourly rate:** ~$4.00/hr (varies by market and contract)
- • **Monthly cost at full tier:** ~$2,880
After scheduling the circuit down to 100 Mbps for 12 off-peak hours per day (overnight + weekends):
- • **Peak hours per month** (12 hr x 22 weekdays): 264 hours at $4.00 = **$1,056**
- • **Off-peak hours per month:** 456 hours at ~$0.42 = **$192**
- • **New monthly cost:** ~$1,248
- • **Monthly savings:** ~$1,632 — a **57% reduction**
- • **Annual savings from one circuit:** ~$19,584
For enterprises managing 3–10 circuits, the savings compound without any change to peak-hour performance. See [How Much Can You Save with IoD Scheduling?](/blog/iod-savings-methodology) for a full methodology. If your network includes Layer 2 EVCs in addition to internet circuits, the same scheduling logic applies to [Lumen Ethernet on Demand](/features/ethernet-on-demand) — see the [EoD pricing guide](/blog/lumen-ethernet-on-demand-pricing) for the full rate structure.
How the NaaS API Works
IoD bandwidth changes are submitted programmatically through the carrier’s NaaS API. The typical flow:
1. Authenticate — OAuth2 client credentials (client ID + client secret from the provider portal) 2. Submit a bandwidth change order — POST request with circuit ID and target tier 3. Poll for completion — the API returns an order ID; poll until status = COMPLETED (typically 2–5 minutes) 4. Handle failures — orders can fail if the circuit is in a locked state or the target tier is unavailable; retry logic is essential
This API-first design is what makes automation possible. A scheduling tool like Apptifi handles authentication, order submission, status polling, and retry logic automatically.
Who Uses Internet on Demand?
IoD is best suited for workloads with predictable high-low bandwidth patterns:
- • **Data center migrations:** Burst to 10 Gbps during the migration window, drop back immediately after
- • **Media and entertainment:** High bandwidth for production uploads and live events, minimal baseline overnight
- • **Financial services:** Batch processing windows (end-of-day, month-end) requiring temporary burst capacity
- • **Healthcare:** Large imaging file transfers with low baseline demand outside transfer windows
- • **MSPs:** Managing IoD circuits across multiple clients, scheduling per-client peak windows
How Scheduling Reduces IoD Costs
The savings opportunity comes from the gap between peak and off-peak bandwidth needs. For most enterprise circuits, utilization drops significantly outside business hours — yet the circuit continues billing at the same tier.
Automated scheduling closes that gap. A scheduler connected to the NaaS API:
- • Submits a **tier reduction order** at the start of each off-peak window
- • Submits a **tier increase order** before the next peak window begins
- • Handles order failures with automatic retries
- • Logs every change for billing reconciliation
Done consistently, this shifts 40–60% of circuit-hours from the expensive peak tier to a lower one. Tools like Apptifi add a visual calendar interface, Microsoft 365 calendar integration for dynamic scheduling, and a real-time pricing calculator to validate savings before going live.
Related: [IoD Scheduling Best Practices](/blog/iod-scheduling-best-practices) and [Visual Bandwidth Scheduler for Lumen IoD](/blog/visual-bandwidth-scheduler-lumen-iod).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IoD require a long-term contract?
No. Lumen IoD and similar NaaS products are typically billed month-to-month. You pay only for the hours and tiers you use. There is no term commitment or early termination fee, though pricing may vary by market and circuit type.
How fast do IoD tier changes actually take?
Most carriers complete tier changes within 2–5 minutes of order submission. In practice, orders often complete in under 3 minutes during normal network conditions.
What happens if I need to burst above my scheduled tier?
You can submit a manual override through the API or portal at any time. Scheduled tier changes don’t lock you out — they are just automated orders that run on a calendar. A one-click override in Apptifi submits the change immediately.
What if an API call fails during an automated tier change?
A well-built scheduler retries on transient failures and alerts you if the change cannot complete. Apptifi includes built-in retry logic and sends notifications if a scheduled change fails — so your circuit does not stay at the wrong tier without you knowing.
How much can I realistically save with IoD scheduling?
Most enterprises see 40–60% savings on their IoD circuit costs after implementing consistent scheduling. The exact number depends on how many hours per day you operate at a lower tier and the spread between your peak and off-peak rates.
Is IoD available for all internet circuits?
No. IoD requires a NaaS-enabled circuit from a carrier that supports on-demand bandwidth changes. Lumen is the largest provider in the US enterprise market. Not all markets or circuit types are eligible — confirm with your carrier before building a scheduling workflow around it.