Kenya Internet Exchange
Encyclopedia
The Kenya Internet Exchange (KIXP) is an Internet exchange point
started in late 2000 by Kenya
n Internet service providers in an attempt to cut their operating cost by avoiding the use of expensive international links. There is a wide belief that most of the traffic on international links are local and therefore a waste. This was because without a local peering point, communication between people using different service providers had to travel abroad for peering. One example might be an individual using Africa Online
who sent an email to his girlfriend across the street. If his girlfriend happened to be using Swift Global as a service provider, the email would have to travel to the US for peering before returning to Kenya.
This proved controversial as the sole international carrier, government-owned Jambonet is a government entity. The government felt that it would lead to erosion of telecommunications revenue. Communications Commission of Kenya http://www.cck.go.ke/aboutcck/about.htm (equivalent to the Federal Communications Commission
in the US) therefore ruled the peering point illegal, and was closed the same year.
The Internet exchange was re-opened in February, 2002 and peering members have since increased from the initial four to its current 20 members.
KIXP E-mail: info@kixp.or.ke, or kixp@kixp.or.ke (Nick KIXP Feb 23rd 2006)
Internet Exchange Point
An Internet exchange point is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers exchange Internet traffic between their networks . IXPs reduce the portion of an ISP's traffic which must be delivered via their upstream transit providers, thereby reducing the average per-bit...
started in late 2000 by Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n Internet service providers in an attempt to cut their operating cost by avoiding the use of expensive international links. There is a wide belief that most of the traffic on international links are local and therefore a waste. This was because without a local peering point, communication between people using different service providers had to travel abroad for peering. One example might be an individual using Africa Online
Africa Online
Africa Online Holding Ltd., sometimes abbreviated to AFOL, is the largest Internet Service Provider in Africa. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, it offers Internet access and operates in ten Africa countries, including Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe...
who sent an email to his girlfriend across the street. If his girlfriend happened to be using Swift Global as a service provider, the email would have to travel to the US for peering before returning to Kenya.
This proved controversial as the sole international carrier, government-owned Jambonet is a government entity. The government felt that it would lead to erosion of telecommunications revenue. Communications Commission of Kenya http://www.cck.go.ke/aboutcck/about.htm (equivalent to the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
in the US) therefore ruled the peering point illegal, and was closed the same year.
The Internet exchange was re-opened in February, 2002 and peering members have since increased from the initial four to its current 20 members.
External links
KIXP official site changed from .net to new domain .or.ke --http://www.kixp.or.ke or http://www.kixp.netKIXP E-mail: info@kixp.or.ke, or kixp@kixp.or.ke (Nick KIXP Feb 23rd 2006)