After a test period of several months, the Free Belgian Internet Exchange (FreeBIX) is operational as from the 1st September 2003. This free internet exchange counter balances the BNIX supplied by Belnet. Similar phenomena’s have appeared in other countries where it is possible to find cheaper, or even free, internet exchange nodes, which offer more flexibility to the market needs. In Holland, NL-IX represents such a low cost initiative against AMS-IX whilst in France, FreeIX constitutes the first exchange that is totally free of charge to its members.
The alternatives enjoy, in most cases, an enormous success as long as they are cheaper than the traditional exchange, whilst putting the accent on constant dynamism to answer questions, offer a higher technical level and make faster connections possible (less internet hops).
An alternative is also necessary for redundancy reasons: in the case where a stop in the functioning of BNIX or of the transit providers occurs, it is possible to automatically switch over to FreeBIX. When such a breakdown happens, it is necessary to transfer the Belgian traffic via costly upstream connections (often via the USA). A higher number of internet exchanges also make Internet less vulnerable which allows, at the end of the day, user to dialogue at a lower cost.
The free aspect is made possible by sponsors: LCL for the colocation space and the cabling, Realroot for the management and the switches and FirstLink Networks for the Backdone level routing.
Freebix begins with a certain number of important players such as Chello, Realroot, Firstlink Networks,... numerous other partners are under negotiation or are in waiting of an AS number, that is necessary to peer.
For more information about LCL
Laurens van Reijen: +32 2 709 70 20
Laurens.van.reijen@lcl.be
For more information about FreeBIX
Cain Ransbottyn : + 32 475 60 41 06
cain@freebix.be