The London Internet Exchange (LINX) announced on Thursday that its new interconnection point, LINX Accra in Ghana, is now operational.
The opening of LINX Accra, the company’s first location in West Africa, represents a critical turning point in its goal to improve end-user experience, digital infrastructure, and interconnection throughout Africa.
Onix and PAIX, the two central data centre locations that form the base of phase one of this strategic interconnection hub, have now undergone the technical installation of LINX Accra. (A data centre is a facility used to house computer systems and related components, such as servers, storage systems, and networking equipment.)
What distinguishes LINX from other IXPs
These sites are connected by redundant fibre routes in the LINX fabric, which distinguishes LINX from other IXPs. This allows networks at either location to exchange traffic using a technique known as peering, where networks directly connect to share data, improving speed and lowering costs.
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Peering is a low-latency (short delay) and economical method of network traffic routing, and LINX brings more than three decades of experience with global interconnection to the region.
LINX Accra will offer a neutral, future-proof platform and gathering spot for local data exchange between cloud services, content providers, Internet service providers (ISPs), and businesses.
Jennifer Holmes, CEO of LINX, remarked, “The launch of LINX Accra is a major step forward in our commitment to supporting digital transformation across Africa. By enabling local traffic exchange and connecting Onix and PAIX via our fabric, we’re helping to build a stronger, more resilient, and higher-performing internet ecosystem in the region.”
LINX Accra platform to add three sites
When the new Digital Realty data centre in Accra opens in the upcoming weeks, the LINX Accra platform will have three access sites, and a third interconnection point will be added.
LINX’s Head of Global Engagement, Nurani Nimpuno, remarks on the importance of partners in initiatives, saying, “We are lucky to have such engaged data centre partners here in Ghana. Collaboration is key when building IXPs in new geographies. Our data centre partners are a key part of our business case when building in new locations, and success is very much a team effort.”
Peering is now possible on LINX Accra. The $130 monthly LINX membership fee includes a 10GE port with 2Gbps of service.