The London Internet Exchange (LINX) has launched IXCardiff, the first dedicated Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Wales, the smallest country within the United Kingdom.

The traffic will be routed through a carrier-neutral facility within the BT Stadium House data center.

“Local support is key for the success of any regional Internet exchange, and the South Wales Internet community has demonstrated an overwhelming enthusiasm for a new exchange point in the region, and for the benefits regional peering can bring to their businesses, the local economy and the people of Wales,” said John Souter, CEO of LINX.

"Keep local traffic local"

LINX, the largest IXP operator in the UK, hopes that the new exchange point in Wales will help distribute and decentralize peering throughout the country, instead of routing ever increasing amounts of traffic through London.

IXCardiff is a single-node IXP built with Extreme Networks Summit X460 Series switches. LINX says it will reduce latency, improve network resilience and ensure faster connectivity for local Internet users.

The initiative is supported by the Cardiff City Council and the Welsh Government. The exchange point will be managed in consultation with a local steering committee consisting of connected network representatives.

“The creation of an Internet Exchange in the heart of Cardiff will have wide ranging benefits to the business community in Cardiff and across south Wales,” said Julie James, Welsh deputy minister for Skills and Technology.

“It will provide a real boost to local enterprises which would otherwise have had to carry a significant cost burden to access this opportunity.”