25 September 2009
The Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa) has reintroduced its Cape Town Internet Exchange, allowing internet service providers (ISPs) in the Western Cape – a dozen of whom have already signed on – to interconnect with each other.
Ispa’s Johannesburg and Cape Town exchanges encourage the local routing of internet traffic not destined for international locations and provide redundancy for an ISP’s own links.
Exponential traffic growth
The Cape Town Internet Exchange (CINX) will allow all local service providers, not just Ispa members, to interconnect networks and exchange traffic in order to save costs.
“We decided to reintroduce the CINX to meet overwhelming demand from members with operations in Cape Town for a local exchange in the city,” Ispa’s Rob Hunter said in a statement this week. “Cape Town business and consumers are now producing more than enough internet traffic to justify an exchange for the city.
“The amount of internet traffic in Cape Town has grown exponentially over the past few years, as online media, call centres and other heavy internet business users have flourished,” Hunter said.
Cost-savings
Internet Solutions – which also hosts the Johannesburg Internet Exchange (JINX) – has been appointed to host CINX from 2009 till 2012.
“Johannesburg ISPs have long enjoyed benefits such as improved performance for traffic within the city, cost-savings and an extra layer of redundancy from the JINX,” said Hunter.
“Cape Town service providers will now also be able to take advantage of a local peering point and experience the same benefits.”
SAinfo reporter
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