[snip from AfriSPA list ]
Press Release
For Immediate Release
(Contact; Eric M.K Osiakwan - [EMAIL PROTECTED], 0244.386792)
LAUNCH OF GHANA INTERNET EXCHANGE (GIX)
On Tuesday 18th October 2005, the entire Internet fraternity in Ghana
would be gathered at the Ghana India Kofi Annan Centre of
Excellence in
the company of the Hon. Minister of Communication and the French
Ambassador to Ghana to officially launch the Ghana Internet
eXchange (GIX
@ www.gixa.org.gh). The Ghana Internet eXchange (GIX) is the facility
which keeps Ghanaian Internet traffic in Ghana. GIX allows local
Internet
Service Providers and Network Operators to easily exchange traffic
within
Ghana, while improving connectivity and services for their customers.
BENEFITS
The value of an IXP is clear to governments, regulators, industry
experts,
and industry members for good reason: it usually heralds significant
development and opportunities for new revenue in the local ICT
industry.
It is because of this eventual national pay-off that IXPs are usually
financed by donations from individuals, organizations, corporations,
governments, etc. One point of failure for Exchanges is attempting to
finance them by means other than donations or sponsorship.
The cost of the Exchange is minimal compared with the benefits.
Exchange
points have two benefits (short and long term) that directly
address two
obstacles to ICT growth (international bandwidth costs and network
latency). The short-term benefit happens overnight. Once ISPs are
connected to the Exchange, they will no longer pay international
bandwidth
costs for local, Ghanaian traffic. This cost savings, however, is
not the
only value of an IXP.
The long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term. Once the ISPs are
connected to the GIX, latency or transit time of traffic becomes a
fraction of what it was since it stays within the same network. As a
result of this increased speed and reliability, additional "value-
added"
services become possible on the national network. Exchange Points
make web
content hosting, audio and video streaming, E-commerce, E-
governance, etc.
possible. Right now ISPs and local businesses often go outside of
Ghana
for advanced Internet solutions such as the above, taking revenue
elsewhere. With the GIX, all of that business and the revenue that
comes
with it can come to Ghana creating more entrepreneurial opportunities,
jobs, and options for investment.
In Ghana the cost of Internet bandwidth and connectivity is highest
compared to the rest of the competitive world. In one sense the
cost of
sending a local destined email is equal to the cost of sending an
internationally destined email. To overcome this anomaly,
connecting to a
local or National exchange in this case GIX ensures that the cost of
sending a locally destined email is at a lower cost. With the
offsetting
of the local traffic to the exchange point, the upgrading of
International
links of operators can be postponed for an additional period.
Therefore
translating to saving on the International link capacity. These
savings
can further be extended to the operators customers.
Internet use is enhanced when the end users realize fast and efficient
services. Interconnecting to the GIX will improve access to the local
content. Consequently improved local communications, download and
uploads
are realised hence increased customer satisfaction in the quality of
service provided.
With the GIX being operational, we estimate that web servers and mail
servers will be the first value-added services to take off within
Ghana.
ISPs will be able to offer web hosting with more reliability and
greater
connection speeds, and will also be able to offer "Ghanaian" email
accounts. The GIX will create an opening for entrepreneurial co-
location
facilities to pop up. It is feasible that these facilities could
not only
host local, Ghanaian content in their premises, but could also offer
competitive rates for West Africa in general. Ghana can become the
"hub"
of West African Internet content.
Most Internet users, personal and professional, use hotmail.com and
yahoo.com email accounts. Since this traffic will not be passed
through
the Exchange (it is not local traffic as the hotmail and yahoo mail
servers are hosted outside of Ghana), users in Ghana will see the
clear
advantages of having an email account that is hosted in Ghana. The
latency
and reliability of the local services will make them compelling.
This, we
project, will only be the initial impact of the Exchange with many
more
value-added services to come.
The GIX is run and operated by the Ghana Internet eXchange Association
(GIXA, www.gixa.org.gh), an independent non-profit corporation
establish
by the Ghana Internet Service Providers Association (GISPA,
www.gispa.org.gh) and other stakeholders interested in joining and
growing
the GIX. Whiles the GIX is a facility (router and switch) housed at
the
Ghana India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence, the GIXA is the
community of
operators (ISPs and Network Operators) who are connected and
owners. GISPA
is a professional, non-profit trade association representing the
interest
of ISPs and those interested in the provision of Internet service. The
structure of the GIXA (GIX) is such that non-members of GISPA can also
connect to the exchange. Hence it is open to all carriers
(operators) who
may want to exchange traffic locally.
GISPA has been the lead organisation facilitating the establishment
of the
GIXA and the GIX in collaboration with other institutions who have
contributed significantly such as Ministry of Communication (MoC -
www.moc.gov.gh), National Communication Authority (NCA -
www.nca.org.gh),
Ghana India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence (KACE, www.kace-
aiti.com.gh),
Geekcorps (www.geekcorps.org), Packet Clearing House (PCH,
www.pch.net),
African Internet Service Providers Association (AfrISPA,
www.afrispa.org),
Ghana Network Information Centre (GhNIC, www.nic.gh), NTIC of the
French
Government through the French Embassy in Ghana
(www.diplomatie.gouv.fr)
and it's members who have donated resources, time and money in various
forms.
regards
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