The London Internet Exchange (LINX) is set to launch its first physical presence in Africa, LINX Nairobi, in October.
This interconnection hub, designed to meet the region’s growing digital demands, will go live in the coming month.
LINX Nairobi’s collaboration with IXAfrica, a specialized data centre designed for hyperscalers, promises to further enrich the digital ecosystem in the region.
Networks connecting to LINX Nairobi from the new IXAfrica data centre will have their IX fees covered for the first three years from launch, including LINX membership fees, port access and peering service fees, and cross-connect fees.
This collaboration is expected to drive digital growth and enhance interconnectivity, ultimately benefiting businesses, networks, and end-users across East Africa.
Existing LINX members can easily add LINX Nairobi as a new location through the member portal.
It is worth noting that LINX collaborated with Africa Data Centres (ADC), a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies group, as a full point of presence (PoP) for LINX Nairobi.
The partnership was built on a strategic agreement reached in May between the two organizations to bolster connectivity and digital services in Africa.
Through the partnership with ADC, customers at the Africa Data Centre’s NBO1 facility in Nairobi will gain direct access to the LINX Nairobi peering community via a single cross-connect.
They will also benefit from LINX’s round-the-clock, on-call support and portal access.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Data Centres, Tesh Durvasula noted, “By adding the LINX PoP in our NBO1 facility, we can better support our customers with an even greater variety of interconnection options than we have today.” He also highlighted the importance of interconnection in modern businesses, particularly those utilizing hybrid cloud models.
Furthermore, CMC Networks (CMC), a leading global telecommunications service provider, recently announced their plans to join LINX Nairobi.
The CEO of CMC Networks, Marisa Trisolino said, “We support regional peering and are passionate about innovation and connectivity in Africa. We are proud to be a member of LINX and peering at their London network, so are more than happy to be one of the primary peers at LINX Nairobi and work with LINX further to support the digital growth in East Africa.”
LINX Nairobi aims to be the first interconnected, multi-site Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Kenya, offering redundancy and resilience for networks peering in the region.
Kenya’s strategic geographical location with its rapidly expanding fibre connectivity and a well-connected submarine cable network linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, positions it as a pivotal hub for East Africa.
Head of Global Engagement for LINX, Nurani Nimpuno emphasized the hub’s significance, stating, “With LINX Nairobi, we are not only creating a hub for Kenya, but for all of East Africa. The rapidly growing region has a huge demand for low latency, high speed, and improved interconnectivity. LINX Nairobi will not only serve local networks but also attract international Internet providers and hyperscalers.”
LINX Nairobi’s launch is on the horizon, East Africa is poised to become a prominent player in the global digital landscape, offering high-speed, reliable, and efficient interconnection services to meet the region’s ever-growing digital demands.
Note: The offer for free LINX services for networks connecting from IXAfrica applies from May 2023 to May 2026, after which normal charges will resume.
