THE establishment of the internet exchange point (IXP) will greatly reduce internet rates, Telikom PNG Ltd says.
During launching of an IXP by Telikom on Tuesday, Telikom Core IP services manager Arua Taravatu said IXP was a physical infrastructure that allowed domestic internet traffic to be switched locally as opposed to traversing an IP transit provider (or international carrier).
“The benefits include reduced costs, improved quality of service (as a result of direct interconnectivity between service providers and/or application service providers),” he said.
Taravatu said establishment of the IXP was a result of recent efforts by Government through information and communication technology ministry and regulator – National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA).
“In the past 18 months, NICTA has been actively engaging stakeholders through consultative forums. Never before had the internet community been compelled to collectively collaborate towards the best interest of internet consumers in PNG.
“Essentially, these consultations stimulated decision makers and engineers in the industry. The pursuit was for the establishment of an internet exchange point to improve the quality and affordability of internet services and foster internet development in PNG. This evening, I am honoured to announce that such a facility is now available.”
He said IXP would encourage development of local content and it’s hosting within the country.
“The Internet is not all about Internet Service Providers, mobile phone operators, and policy-makers. The Internet is also about the private sector, academia, and civil society. It’s about you and me. The internet impacts so many verticals, in so many geographies that developments in this space should be harnessed by all stakeholders.
Taravatu said establishment of the IXP was not about any one single operator. “We owe this occasion to the launching of the PNG internet exchange point and the ongoing development of internet in Papua New Guinea.
“We pay homage to the early pioneers who brought internet to these shores at a fraction of the speed of what you receive in your palm today. We salute the strategists, the engineers, and the investors, who believed that the internet can contribute to social and economic development.”