Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the leading Information Communication Technology (ICT) company in Pakistan, and DE-CIX, a global Internet Exchange (IX) operator, proudly inaugurated the ‘Pakistan Internet Exchange (PIE) powered by DE-CIX,’ marking a groundbreaking milestone as the country’s first carrier-neutral and neutral Internet exchange.
Situated in the PTCL data center in Karachi, the IX operates under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model, leveraging DE-CIX’s renowned interconnection infrastructure. This platform offers both local peering and remote access to DE-CIX Frankfurt (Germany), one of the world’s largest IXs. PIE powered by DE-CIX aims to serve as a pivotal hub for regional connectivity, facilitating low-latency interconnection for local networks, localization of global content, and enhancing network stability, scalability, and security.
Dr. Umar Saif, Federal Minister of IT & Telecommunication, highlighted the significance of this development, emphasizing Pakistan’s growing digital market and potential economic impact. Zarrar Hasham Khan, Group Chief Business Solutions Officer at PTCL & Ufone 4G, expressed excitement about advancing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and driving the growth of the country’s digital economy through this collaboration with DE-CIX.
DE-CIX CEO, Ivo Ivanov, acknowledged the rapid growth of Internet usage in Pakistan and the need for local interconnection. He emphasized that PIE powered by DE-CIX would play a crucial role in unlocking Pakistan’s economic potential, fostering world-class Internet connectivity, and attracting international Internet and cloud service providers to contribute to the local digital ecosystem.
The Pakistan Internet Exchange, part of DE-CIX’s success stories like the UAE-IX in Dubai, is set to become a vital international Internet hub. The collaboration’s innovative DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) program, offering a fully pre-configured and standardized solution, further reinforces the commitment to seamless, high-speed, and high-quality Internet connectivity for end-users and businesses across Pakistan.
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