AMS-IX to assume CAR-IX management and operations

Amsterdam, 24 September 2012 – The Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) takes responsibility for the management and operations of the Caribbean Internet Exchange (CAR-IX) and rebrands it to AMS-IX Caribbean. Members of AMS-IX approved of this initiative after a 24-hour voting procedure. Previously the members of CAR-IX had already agreed to the change in a members meeting. With this initiative AMS-IX aims to further develop the Internet ecosystem in the Caribbean.

In 2008 AMS-IX used its successful business model formula to help found CAR-IX. The neutral model proved to be the catalyst that was needed and the support of the running minister and Bureau Telecommunications and Post at the Dutch Antilles secured funding. Although AMS-IX has been responsible for the design of CAR-IX and for operating the technical platform since the start of the Internet exchange, CAR-IX BV took care of the administrative, financial- and commercial operations.

The AMS-IX/CAR-IX technical operations contract expired after three years and CAR-IX preferred to continue the relationship. With AMS-IX’ new formula of deploying exchanges in principal marketplaces it was decided to integrate CAR-IX fully into the AMS-IX environment.

Additional to the business integration AMS-IX will also invest in new equipment for the exchange platform based on the latest standards and AMS-IX design.

“CAR-IX already has been successful since its launch in 2009, says Job Witteman, CEO of AMS-IX. “Download speeds for users in the region increased over 300% and cost savings for the participants were considerable. By having control over all operations of the Caribbean Internet hub, AMS-IX can coordinate all activities more closely, which helps making it even more effective.”

Nico Scheper, the managing director of the CAR-IX BV, who remains involved with AMS-IX Caribbean, says: “The deployment of the Internet exchange has proven its effectiveness, as it has contributed significantly to a better experience for the Internet users. With AMS-IX Caribbean we will work towards further improvement of that user experience and also further strengthening of the Internet Exchange position in the region.”

AMS-IX – Amsterdam Internet Exchange – is a neutral and independent Internet Exchange based in Amsterdam – The Netherlands since the early 1990’s. AMS-IX interconnects more than 515 IP networks, making it the largest Internet Exchange in the world. The traffic peak of the interconnected networks is more than 1.8 Terabit per second, with a daily volume of 11 Petabyte. The AMS-IX platform provides a professional, high quality, non-blocking peering service for all types of IP traffic, be it regular IP data such as e-mail or web content, to also video/TV and voice. AMS-IX additionally hosts the first mobile peering point worldwide, the Global GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX) and the first interconnection of IPX networks (Inter-IPX). AMS-IX deploys two Internet Exchanges abroad – AMS-IX Hong Kong in the Asia Pacific region and CAR-IX, soon to be AMS-IX Caribbean on Curacao. http://www.ams-ix.net