New Interconnection Exchange (IX) launched by MIX at Lancom's Balkan Gateway in Thessaloniki

New Interconnection Exchange (IX) launched by MIX at Lancom's Balkan Gateway in Thessaloniki

MIX Expands into Eastern Europe with MIX Thessaloniki

MIX, an Italian Internet Exchange Point (IXP) known for its high-performance services, has taken a significant step in extending its reach beyond national borders. In collaboration with Lancom, a leading Greek operator in network infrastructure and advanced cloud solutions, MIX has activated MIX Thessaloniki at the Balkan Gate data center [1][2][4].

Located in Thessaloniki, MIX Thessaloniki enables regional carriers, ISPs, cloud providers, and businesses to access a wide ecosystem of networks and services with low latency. This expansion enhances Eastern Europe's digital infrastructure by enabling more efficient local internet traffic exchange, reducing latency, lowering IP transit costs, and improving network performance [2][4].

The Balkan Gate data center, the home of MIX Thessaloniki, serves as a critical hub for connectivity, with direct interconnection paths to the Balkans, Central Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East. As the largest carrier-neutral Tier III facility in Northern Greece, it provides an ideal location for MIX's first official presence outside of Italy [3].

George Nolis, CEO and founder of Lancom, stated that the activation of MIX Thessaloniki sets a new standard for regional and continental connectivity in the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe. Alessandro Talotta, Executive President and Chairman of MIX, expressed pride in collaborating with Lancom to bring MIX's exchange services closer to key players in the Balkans and beyond [2].

MIX Thessaloniki facilitates public peering and direct interconnection, meaning networks can exchange data more directly rather than routing through distant hubs, improving speed and reliability for users in Eastern Europe [2][4]. This upgrade supports the growing digital economy in the Balkans by attracting more networks and services into a local digital ecosystem, ultimately contributing to the region’s internet resilience and cost-effective broadband delivery [4].

The activation of MIX Thessaloniki strengthens MIX's commitment to open, neutral, and high-performance interconnection beyond national borders. MIX Thessaloniki operates alongside the main MIX hub in Italy, which currently hosts over 420 networks and reaches daily traffic peaks of over 3 Tbps [5].

This strategic expansion for both MIX and Lancom is a significant step in MIX's mission to support high-quality, secure, and scalable interconnection services throughout Eastern Europe. By bringing its expertise in designing and managing high-performance Internet Exchange Points to the collaboration, MIX aims to improve connectivity, redundancy, and digital competitiveness for the region [1].

References: [1] MIX Thessaloniki Press Release. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.mix-ix.net/news/mix-thessaloniki-press-release [2] Lancom Press Release. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.lancom.gr/news/mix-thessaloniki-press-release [3] Balkan Gate Data Center. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.balkangate.gr [4] Eastern Europe Digital Infrastructure Report. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.europeandigitalinfrastructure.com [5] MIX Network Statistics. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.mix-ix.net/statistics

1. The strategic expansion of MIX into Eastern Europe, as seen with the activation of MIX Thessaloniki, bolsters their commitment to delivering high-quality, secure, and scalable data-and-cloud-computing technology.
2. With MIX Thessaloniki, located in Thessaloniki, regional carriers, ISPs, and businesses can leverage advanced technology to access a wide ecosystem of networks and services, enhancing the digital infrastructure in Eastern Europe.

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