28 January 2020

Asteroid international launches Internet exchange point in Mombasa, Kenya

Asteroid international launches an Internet exchange point (IXP) in Mombasa, Kenya

Amsterdam, the Netherlands / Mombasa, Kenya, 28 January 2020 -- Asteroid International launches Internet exchange point hub in Mombasa, Kenya.

The global interconnection platform innovator Asteroid International, announced today that it is launching its modern, efficient, and highly automated Internet Exchange Point (IXP) solution in Mombasa, Kenya. The exchange point already has big tech giants and International content providers such as Google, as well as several local Kenyan and African networks. Located in the modern, hyper connected, carrier neutral icolo facilities in Mombasa, the Asteroid IXP will enable much improved Internet interconnection in East Africa and support the region’s strong digital growth.

An Internet Exchange point allows many different Internet players to come together and exchange Internet traffic locally and efficiently, through so-called “peering”. Having content and services close to the local Internet user is key to getting good response times and low latency, but it also makes those services and content more reliable, and less vulnerable to external disruptions.

“We are very proud to deploy an exchange point in Kenya”, says Asteroid CEO Remco van Mook. “Mombasa is the perfect place to interconnect the whole region, and the carrier-neutral icolo facilities are world class. There is a tremendous need for modern, well-run, cost effective IXPs in Africa. The Asteroid IXP will not only provide modern interconnection, it will contribute to improved Internet accessibility, lower costs and better Internet performance for Internet users in region.”

The icolo data centre is located in Mombasa, on the East Coast of Kenya, where all major Internet submarine cables come into the region, which makes it an exceptionally suitable place for an Internet exchange point hub. The location is already attracting many local, regional, and international players, and the addition of the Asteroid IXP is setting Mombasa up to become the largest regional Internet hub in East Africa.

In Africa, it is not uncommon to see Internet traffic destined from one local ISP to another, leave the continent through expensive international links, before returning to reach the other local party. This often results in delays and high costs for all parties. An Internet exchange point, allows Internet players to exchange that traffic locally, without the need for third parties or expensive international links.

“We are very excited to partner with Asteroid”, says icolo CEO Ranjith Cherickel. “Asteroid bring considerable experience from the interconnection space. Their ultramodern IXP solution at the icolo data centre, will not only help significantly improve the performance between ISPs in the region, it will also attract new players to the country and boost the interconnection growth more broadly.”

The Asteroid IXP platform is built on state-of-the-art technology, lightweight, scalable architecture, and advanced toolsets. Designed with automation at the core, the Asteroid solution provides security from day one, a modern feature set and has proven to be the most efficient and cost effective solution on the market.

ISPs and other network operators who want to connect to the Asteroid IXP in Mombasa, can get in touch with Asteroid through their website https://www.asteroidhq.com/ or throughinfo@asteroidhq.com.

What is an IXP?

An Internet exchange point (IXP) is a physical location through which Internet infrastructure companies such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and CDNs connect with each other and exchange traffic. This allows different networks on the Internet directly to interconnect in one single hub, and shorten their path to the transit from other participating networks, thereby reducing latency, improving round-trip time, and potentially reducing costs.

What is a CDN?

Peering is when two Internet networks connect and exchange traffic. It allows them to directly hand off traffic between each other’s customers, without having to pay a third party to carry that traffic across the Internet for them. Peering usually happen at an IXP and is often done in a settlement-free manner, as it is seen as mutually beneficial for both peering parties. More information about the benefits of peering is availablehere/

About Asteroid

Asteroid is a global interconnection platform innovator. They operate neutral Internet exchange points (IXPs) worldwide, and work with trusted parties in local markets to deliver their innovative IXP platform locally, wherever there is a need.

The Asteroid IXP model is a return to the original spirit of simple, efficient interconnection but built on state-of-the-art technology, lightweight and scalable architecture, and advanced toolsets.

Asteroid IXPs provide a simple, modern and cost-effective way to peer with some of the largest networks in the world. With its nimble, yet powerful design, the Asteroid platform sets a new standard for IXPs.

Contact
Nurani Nimpuno, Asteroid CCO
Email: info@asteroidhq.com
Website: https://www.asteroidhq.com/
Twitter: @Asteroidhq

Asteroid international launches Internet exchange point in Mombasa, Kenya

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