Frankfurt am Main, Germany/Islamabad, Pakistan: The world’s top Internet exchange (IX) operator, DE-CIX, and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the largest integrated ICT company in Pakistan, jointly celebrated the launch of Pakistan Internet Exchange (PIE) powered by DE-CIX, the nation’s first carrier-neutral IX.
Built on DE-CIX’s award-winning interconnection infrastructure, the IX is run by DE-CIX under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model and is housed at the PTCL data center in Karachi. The interconnection platform provides remote access to DE-CIX Frankfurt (Germany), one of the biggest IXs globally, in addition to local peering.
With the help of DE-CIX, PIE will function as a regional connectivity hub, enhancing network security, scalability, and stability while facilitating low-latency interconnection between local networks and the localization of worldwide content.
Speaking at the event, Federal Minister of IT and Telecommunication Dr. Umar Saif, the Chief Guest, stated, “Pakistan is a massive digital market, with an internet user base larger than the population of Italy.” We have advanced fiber connectivity significantly during the last few years. Two fiber loops were provided to us, extending from Kashgar to Rawalpindi and, via PTCL, to Karachi. Multiple undersea cables that touch down in Karachi also improve our connectivity.
The carrier neutral Internet exchange for PTCL Business Solutions is now operational and offers promising opportunities for localized content hosting from well-known platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok. It is run by tier 1 IX operator DE-CIX. Pakistan’s cached and routed material may easily reach other markets, establishing us as the center of the region’s digital connectedness. Through transit traffic, it can produce yearly earnings between $200 and $400 million, significantly boosting our economy.”
Group Chief Business Solutions Officer at PTCL & Ufone 4G Zarrar Hasham Khan stated, “We are thrilled to collaborate with DE-CIX to bring this state-of-the-art interconnection facility to Pakistan.” He went on, “This partnership is a major step forward in accomplishing that aim. As the largest integrated ICT firm in Pakistan, we are committed to expanding the nation’s digital infrastructure to facilitate universal digitalization. Our countrywide network and DE-CIX’s interconnection architecture will act as a cornerstone to improve our clients’ online experiences while enabling foreign platforms to host content locally. We think that this collaboration will promote digital enablement throughout the nation and hasten the development of Pakistan’s digital economy.
“Pakistan is one of the most populated countries in Asia, and with Internet consumption rapidly increasing, it is obvious that local interconnection is necessary. The DE-CIX-powered Pakistan Internet Exchange will prove to be essential in enabling the nation to realize the full economic potential of its first-rate Internet connectivity. As stated by Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, “The IX will allow national networks to serve top-notch Internet connectivity and also attract more foreign Internet and cloud service providers to do business in Pakistan, allowing the development of a vibrant local digital ecosystem.”
Pakistani citizens will thereby have the greatest possible access to both domestic and foreign information, material, and services. In order to ensure a flawless experience for end users and enterprises across the nation, we at DE-CIX want to meet this enormous demand for high speed, high quality, robust, and resilient Internet access,” Ivanov went on.
Pakistan Internet Exchange is set to become a part of the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX in Dubai, a notable success story whose expansion and accomplishments over the past 12 years have earned it recognition as a major global Internet hub.
A range of services, including installation, maintenance, provisioning, marketing, and sales support, are included in the DaaS program. These services are intended to let digital infrastructure operators build their own IX and interconnection platform, which will be entirely managed by DE-CIX. It provides the technical configuration required for an Internet Exchange as a “DE-CIX in a box” solution that is completely preconfigured and standardized.
