The Saint Martin Internet Exchange Point (IXP) will be officially launched this Friday, October 21, during an official event organized by the Collectivity of Saint Martin.
The launch of the Saint Martin IXP, called Smart-IX, is part of the CaribIX project, coordinated by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and funded by the INTERREG programme. As a reminder, an Internet exchange point is a piece of physical infrastructure that allows network operators to interconnect and exchange traffic locally without having to resort to expensive international routes. “In Saint-Martin, the CaribIX project aims to create a digital bridge to the existing Internet infrastructure in Sint Maarten, in order to facilitate the exchange of traffic between the islands and to strengthen the national network”, declared Mr. Gary Kalloo , Director of Business Development and Implementation Support and CTU Lead for the CaribIX Project. In use, the exchange points prove to be catalysts, accelerators of digital development in the territories in which they are established: with them, a more accessible, faster, more robust, better connected Internet is developing and appearing untapped opportunities for economic development. On the other hand, a stronger home network means greater resilience in the event of a natural disaster such as a hurricane. This is why Smart-IX should play a vital role in the territory's disaster risk reduction strategy. The launch of Smart-IX comes after a long period of strategic collaboration between government, the private sector and technical actors in the Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean. It will be followed by the signing of an IXP memorandum of understanding, which signifies the will of the first IXP participants to start peering (local internet operators: Dauphin Telecom – Orange – Computech – Tell Em – Digicel – Canal +)
Additional participants are expected as Smart-IX develops and grows.
*The CaribIX project was officially launched in a virtual ceremony in March 2022. This project has received funding from the INTERREG Caribbean programme, co-funded by the European Union's European Regional Development Fund. The project also aims to set up internet exchange points in Saint-Barthélemy and Guadeloupe, and promises to offer better internet speed, security and quality of service in the three territories.
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