Washington, D.C., USA and Geneva, Switzerland – 20 January 2015 – The Internet Society today announced that it received funding from Comcast to extend its Internet Exchange Point (IXP) initiatives in Latin America. This funding will augment the Internet Society’s ongoing efforts around the world, and accelerate its ability to build a more robust Internet infrastructure in several countries in Latin America, including Paraguay and Bolivia.
In many developing countries, local Internet traffic is exchanged beyond their borders, which adds significant service costs and increases latency because of a lack of connectivity between domestic networks. IXPs enable local Internet service providers (ISPs) and network operators to exchange traffic locally and more cost effectively, which can help lower end-user costs, speed-up transmissions, increase Internet performance, and decrease international Internet connectivity costs.
The funding from Comcast will be used to launch an IXP in Paraguay, support the recently launched IXP in Bolivia, as well as provide technical and networking training to improve existing IXP operations.
“We’re excited to help the Internet Society extend the IXP program to Paraguay, and help continue their good work in Bolivia and other areas,” said Jason Livingood, Comcast’s Vice President of Internet Services and Internet Society Board Trustee. “These impactful, highly localized IXP projects can improve the quality and economics of Internet connectivity in developing areas, as well as strengthen local expertise to manage and further develop local connectivity and other Internet services.”
“As a landlocked country, the cost of Internet in Paraguay is among the highest in the region,” stated Ignacio Velázquez Guachire, General Director for .PY. “The Internet Society understands the challenges of building an IXP, and brings proven experience, best practices, and a strong commitment to working closely with local partners. Our thanks to the Internet Society and Comcast for supporting the development of the necessary infrastructure to achieve the longtime dream of Paraguayans of having an efficient IXP that will enable faster Internet access at a lower cost.”
For more than 20 years, the Internet Society has been working with countries and Internet community partners to facilitate core network development, interconnection, and Internet traffic exchange, as well as assist with training individuals who can build and maintain the Internet infrastructure in their regions. In 2014, the Internet Society organized 34 training workshops, helped launch 10 new IXPs, and improved the infrastructure of 18 IXPs around the world.
“The presence of reliable and sustainable Internet infrastructure not only dramatically enriches a country’s Internet ecosystem, but also helps drive economic and social development,” noted Sebastian Bellagamba, Internet Society Regional Bureau Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “We deeply appreciate this commitment from Comcast, which will accelerate our important infrastructure and capacity building work in Latin America, and specifically in Paraguay and Bolivia.”
About the Internet Society
The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). With its principled vision, substantial technological foundation and its global presence, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.
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