The T3 NSFNET Backbone Service was a step-change for the Internet, and it represented a new operational paradigm for the NSF as the program shifted from a specific network infrastructure to a service. The combination of technological and operational “firsts” posed by the T3 NSFNET Backbone Service led to numerous unforeseen challenges and innovative solutions that accelerated the advancement of Internet technology during this formative period. A panel discusses this period of rapid change in technology, operational strategies and financial models, and the NSFNET’s path to commercialization. From the Series:NSFNET: The Partnership That Changed the World