Internet exchange opens in Nashville

Colocation provider 365 Data Centers and customers DevDigital and Peace Communications have announced the launch of the Nashville Internet Exchange (NashIX). NashIX is the first carrier-neutral, open access peering exchange in Nashville and the middle-Tennessee region, the partners assert.

Located in 365Data Centers' downtown facility, the NashIX's shared network infrastructure for Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers, businesses, and research and educational institutions will accelerate Internet access by up to 4X and lower interconnection costs by 70%, the founders say.

The exchange is designed to obviate the need for regional ISPs and businesses to pay for private lines to reach Internet exchanges in Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas and endure the associated network latency. A 10-Gbps private line between Nashville and Atlanta costs between $5,000 and $10,000 a month, say the new exchange's backers; a Nashville metro connection costs about 30% of that total. Meanwhile, use of the NashIX will decrease latency from the 6 to 8 ms encountered on a run to Atlanta to a typical latency within the Nashville metro area of less than 2 ms.

The founders believe the NashIX will appeal to local businesses in the media, entertainment, music, online content, healthcare, government, education, and related fields. They are offering free connections to the NashIX to those who join before September 30, 2015. The free offer is limited to the first port, with a 1-year duration. Standard pricing for a 1-Gbps port will be $350 per month; the price for a 10-Gbps port will be $1,000 per month.

"Increasingly, content is moving from the core to the edge. With the NashIX, content will move faster and with less congestion," said Peter Marcum, chairman of the board at NashIX and managing partner, DevDigital. "Way back, I was a cofounder of the Atlanta IX, and it has turned into a very big deal for Atlanta's connectivity. We're doing the same for Nashville. Having a carrier-neutral facility locally is critical to NashIX's and Nashville's success. It fosters open competition, where clients can choose the best service or price that suits their needs."

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