Iran launched a national Internet Exchange Point in the western city of Qasr-e Shirin in Kermanshah Province, near the Iraqi border.
The IXP, which was inaugurated by ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi on Wednesday, in addition to improving provincial communications, will offer international Internet transit services to the neighboring country of Iraq, the ministry’s website reported.
A total of 2.9 trillion rials ($70 million) has been invested in the province for establishing of the IXP and improving the local ICT infrastructure.
An IXP is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers (ISPs) and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) exchange Internet traffic between their networks.
The IXP will significantly reduce the average per-bit delivery cost of Internet services in the area. The new center is Iran’s seventh IXP with six located in Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz, Qom and Ahvaz.
***Special Advantage
Moreover, one of the noticeable advantages of having more exchange points is speed. The change will be conspicuous in areas that have poor long-distance telecoms connections.
With the fall in Internet service prices after the launch of the previous IXPs, Iranian online content providers saw a boost in their total income. Furthermore, access to more stable and faster Internet connections has increased the demand for online services.
Besides being used as an IXP, the center is set to operate as an international Internet transit hub offering services to Iran’s western neighbor Iraq.
It will enable Iraqis to connect to the World Wide Web using Iran’s communications infrastructure.
Additionally, they will have easier access to online services offered by Iranian firms dealing with neighboring countries.
