DE-CIX and AFR-IX telecom sign strategic partnership to enhance Barcelona as a major digital hub
Frankfurt am Main/Barcelona, 7 November 2022 – DE-CIX, the world’s leading Internet Exchange (IX) operator, is celebrating the first anniversary of DE-CIX Barcelona. Today, DE-CIX announces a strategic partnership with AFR-IX Telecom. AFR-IX Telecom, headquartered in Barcelona, operates the Barcelona Cable Landing Station (CLS).
The Barcelona CLS, a neutral colocation and interconnection facility, will now become DE-CIX’s fourth premium site in Barcelona. DE-CIX Barcelona joins bitNAP, Equinix, and EdgeConneX in extending DE-CIX’s carrier and data center-neutral ecosystem across Catalonia and beyond. Since its launch last year, DE-CIX Barcelona has increased connected networks by over 25% to nearly 40. It serves a diverse mix of network operators, ISPs, content providers, and enterprises, including global players like Microsoft and Google.
The new AFR-IX Telecom partnership will elevate DE-CIX’s Southern European interconnection ecosystem. From 2024, the Barcelona CLS will host the Medusa Submarine Cable System. This will position Barcelona as a new gateway for data traffic between Europe and Africa, complementing Marseille.
Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, remarks, “This milestone boosts connectivity between Europe and Africa. It enhances Barcelona’s role as a key Mediterranean digital hub.”
Norman Albi, CEO of AFR-IX Telecom, adds, “The arrival of DE-CIX highlights the strategic importance of Barcelona CLS. It marks a significant growth for the digital ecosystem in Catalonia and Southern Europe.”
DE-CIX Barcelona forms part of the largest neutral interconnection ecosystem in Southern Europe. DE-CIX also operates IXs in Lisbon, Madrid, Palermo, and Marseille. With 470 connected networks across 13 data centers, DE-CIX Southern Europe leads in regional interconnection. Additionally, DE-CIX Barcelona connects with DE-CIX Madrid and Marseille, and links to DE-CIX Frankfurt, opening global cloud exchanges to Catalonian enterprises.
About DE-CIX
DE-CIX, the global leader in Internet Exchanges, operates in over 40 metro-markets across Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia. With access from over 600 data centers worldwide, DE-CIX connects thousands of networks, including carriers, ISPs, and content providers. DE-CIX Frankfurt is one of the world’s largest exchanges, managing nearly 30 Exabytes of data annually and connecting close to 1,100 networks. DE-CIX plays a critical role in shaping the future of the Internet.
About AFR-IX Telecom
AFR-IX Telecom is a leading infrastructure and telecom operator with extensive experience in the Mediterranean and Africa. It operates the Barcelona Cable Landing Station, offering open access and neutral colocation services. AFR-IX holds licenses in Portugal, Spain, the USA, and multiple African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, DRC, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Niger, and Cameroon. It boasts the largest Metro Ethernet network in Africa and over 60 POPs.
AFR-IX is consistently ranked among the fastest-growing telecom companies by the Financial Times, securing positions 8 (2020), 16 (2021), and 11 (2022) in the FT 1000.
For more information, visit-DE-CIX and AFR-IX Telecom
