Three local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Barbados Internet Exchange (BARIX).
Representatives of Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited, Columbus Barbados and Digicel (Barbados) Limited are all signatories to the agreement, which was signed yesterday at a ceremony witnessed by Minister responsible for Telecommunications Senator Darcy Boyce.
Senator Boyce congratulated the companies on reaching consensus on the issue, saying the creation of the Barbados Internet Exchange Point (IXP) would bring great benefits to the island, including reduced costs, improved network capacity and cyber security.
The benefits will accrue from the fact that locally-generated Internet traffic, destined for local recipients, will no longer have to go via the Internet Exchange Point in Miami, but will be done locally, Boyce said.
The Government spokesman noted that Barbados will also be able to improve the speed of communication with its Caribbean neighbours as more of them establish their own IXPs. Grenada, Haiti, Cuba, Dominica and St. Lucia are among countries which already have IXPs.
Government Minister Darcy Boyce, second from left; Mark Linehan of Digicel, second from right; and Patrick Hinkson of Cable and Wireless, right; were among officials taking in part in the signing ceremony.
Here, Niall Sheehy of Columbus Barbados, in conversation with Government Minister Darcy Boyce and Chief Telecommunications Officer Reginald Bourne.
Local service providers have all welcomed the initiative.
C&W’s Chief Financial Officer Patrick Hinkson described it as an important step for Barbados, and promised that customers would experience vastly improved connectivity.
Niall Sheehy, the managing director of Columbus Barbados, said he was happy to work alongside C&W and Digicel to make BARIX a reality since its establishment was a major step towards positioning Barbados competitively, while Mark Linehan of Digicel looked forward to the advantages that BARIX would bring to the island.
Chief Telecommunications Officer in the Telecommunications Unit, Reginald Bourne, told the gathering that the new exchange would be formally launched at the end of the month.
“The creation of this critical infrastructure is an important milestone for telecommunications in Barbados and I am pleased that all the ISPs are able to participate in this venture,” Bourne said. (BGIS)