Bluebird Network now hosts two Internet exchanges

Bluebird Network, a communications infrastructure provider with two data centers, and 10,000 route miles of fiber ranked in the top 1% of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide, is now the host of two internet exchanges within their discrete data centers at polar ends of the company’s digital footprint. These exchanges allow customers to offload traffic, increase data transmission speeds and improve network experiences by keeping traffic local and avoiding congested cities.

The Springfield Internet Exchange (SpringIX) is housed in the Bluebird Underground Data Center located in Springfield, MO, while the Quad Cities Internet Exchange (QCIX) is available for connection in the Bluebird Quad Cities Data Center in Bettendorf, IA. Both facilities are carrier-neutral, allowing any entity with an Autonomous System Number (ASN) to take advantage of the internet exchange fabric, including other ISPs.

Bluebird Network Now Hosts Two Internet Exchanges Within Their Data Centers

"Internet exchanges are an important part of keeping our world connected and the internet fast, both of these things Bluebird already does well. The fact we can offer this advantage to our customers in the form of two excellent exchanges, makes us a better company," said Michael Morey, President, and CEO of Bluebird Network.

SpringIX is the first and only exchange in Springfield, MO, and is connected to the Kansas City Internet Exchange, which boasts 121 active peers and allows SpringIX members to easily exchange traffic. The QCIX is the largest IX in Iowa with 47 peers, and as of October 2021, ten additional carriers are in the process of connecting.

Jay Hanke, President of South Front Networks, a Bluebird customer operating a carrier network from Illinois up to Minnesota, founded the not-for-profit QCIX in 2020 to alleviate a peering hole in the region and allow networks to avoid the congested Chicago area.

"Exchanges provide a low-latency path for businesses and ISPs to optimize their Internet traffic and extend an already large transport network. Access to content is also streamlined because content providers are directly connected into the fabric. Since multiple content networks are colocated in the exchange, the traffic comes straight from them and goes to Bluebird or whichever ISP you’re connecting to," said Jay Hanke.

Internet exchanges are not only for carriers and ISPs; they also support companies in work-from-home and disaster situations by keeping traffic local. SpringIX and QCIX offer enhanced connectivity solutions for communities in the Midwest by providing faster speeds, low latency, and reduced costs throughout the region.

"As enterprises and their internet providers come online with Internet Exchanges, an increasing share of their traffic will be kept local, improving speed, performance, and latency. Governments, universities, and enterprises can all benefit from joining an exchange," said Jay Hanke.

Bluebird Network supports increased productivity and innovation for businesses by supplying robust and reliable fiber services necessary to thrive in the next era of digital transformation. The company provides an array of services including dedicated internet, Ethernet solutions, cloud connections, dark fiber, wavelengths, colocation, and more.