1. Pan African Virtual Internet eXchange
Brian Longwe
Technology Officer,
Telecommunication Service Providers Of Kenya
Internet Week, Johannesburg - SA 11th September 2002

2. Outline Background Problems for Regional Connectivity Solutions PAVIX?
The “Backbone” of the Internet?
US Centric Traffic Flows
Problems for Regional Connectivity
Poor performance
High Costs
Solutions
National Exchange Points
Regional Exchange Points
PAVIX?

3. Background
IS the USA really the backbone of the Internet?

4. Background
US Centric Traffic Flows
Cumbersome!

5. Problems Poor Performance on transfers between African countries
900 – 2000ms latency for Inter-country traffic
Heavy dependence on Inter-Continental Satellite connectivity
Insufficient internal optical fibre connectivity
Insufficient cross-border connectivity

6. Barriers Legislation Economics Socio-Political Agendas
Inter-Provider Cooperation and Collaboration

7. Solutions National Exchange Points: Interconnecting Local ISPs
Gateways
Local ISPs
Keep Local Traffic Local!
Internet Exchange Point

8. Solutions
Regional Exchange Points: Interconnecting National IXs

9. PAVIX? Pan African Virtual Internet eXchange
Any Peering/IX initiative involves 90% relational/social engineering and 10% technical engineering
PAVIX is at the Social/Political engineering stage…

10. PAVIX? 4 ISPAs have discussed and expressed Interest ISPA (SA)
TESPOK (Kenya)
TIXP (Tanzania)
UIXP (Uganda)

11. PAVIX?
Is it possible?
Is it necessary?
Next Steps?

12. Thank You!