Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) is constructing a new peering platform in Mombasa, to help develop East Africa’s regional Internet interconnection.
This useful venture collaboration with the Kenya Internet Exchange Point (KIXP) and builds on the successful and proven design of AMS-IX in Europe. The new exchange hub, the AMS-IX East Africa Exchange Point, will enable networks in the African continent to access other networks via a single platform.
SEACOM, as a pan-African ICT enabler, will be the first reseller of the AMS-IX East Africa Exchange platform as well as providing connectivity from the exchange to Amsterdam. As a result, Internet companies in Africa will have the ability to peer with over 600 IP networks at AMS-IX in Amsterdam.
AMS-IX says parties can already order a connection to the AMS-IX East Africa Exchange Point, which is planned to go live mid-November 2013. Available port connections are Ethernet (E), Fast Ethernet (FE), 1 Gigabit Ethernet (GE) and 10GE. When connecting through reseller SEACOM, port capacities from 10 to 1000 Mbps are also offered.
With the development of a professional Internet hub in Kenya, AMS-IX and KIXP are further extending their partnership. In 2011, AMS-IX began collaborating with KIXP, which is operated by the Telecommunication Service Providers Association of Kenya (TESPOK), which included the donation of AMS-IX Gigabit Ethernet equipment.
Job Witteman, CEO at AMS-IX, says: “East Africa is an important emerging market, led by Kenya, especially from an ICT point of view. Interconnection is becoming more and more essential to enable the region’s developing business activity. Together with KIXP we aim to contribute by helping to improve the African Internet ecosystem.”
Fiona Asonga, CEO at KIXP, says: “Cooperating with a more established global IXP such as AMS-IX has been worthwhile. This partnership is yet another opportunity for KIXP to add value to the local Internet scene both for the operators and consumers who stand to benefit from an enhanced online experience. It is TESPOK’s hope that this arrangement will significantly contribute to Kenya being the ICT hub for the region.”