Saudi Telecom Company (STC), the leading player in the regional telecom services sector, has joined hands with UK-based London Internet Exchange (Linx) to launch the JED-IX driven by Linx - an Internet exchange in Jeddah city of Saudi Arabia.
STC said the move comes as part of its initiative to deliver on its mandate to establish Saudi Arabia as the key hub for telecoms connectivity, in the Mena region, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
As per the deal, Linx, one of the world's largest internet exchanges, based in London, is providing the expertise and will support the operation of JED-IX driven by Linx going forward.
JED-IX is a neutral Internet traffic exchange platform that interconnects global networks and, above all, network operators and content providers in the GCC region, said a statement from the organisation.
It is built on a fully redundant switching platform located in a neutral secure STC datacentre in Jeddah.
Alan Whelan, VP of STC Wholesale, said: "Our ambition is to develop JED-IX into the leading internet and data hub in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region."
“In Linx we have a global leading IX partner who will help accelerate the delivery of this ambition and create a thriving interconnection eco system in the kingdom,” he added.
Linx CEO John Souter pointed out that JED-IX driven by Linx was a real step forward for the Internet community in Saudi and the GCC as a whole.
“The exchange will allow networks to stop 'tromboning' traffic to London and back again, and will help increase resilience by creating a new centre for interconnection in Saudi Arabia,” he stated.
Kurt Erik Lindqvist, chief marketing officer, Linx, said: “The new partnership between STC and us forms an exciting milestone in the expansion of our company’s global presence and builds on our aim of ‘Working for the Good of the Internet’ globally.”
Source: Press Release