DE-CIX, the world’s leading Internet Exchange (IX) operator, and the Bulgarian IX operator BIX.BG announced the strengthening of their long-term relationship, with DE-CIX becoming a majority stakeholder in the Bulgarian operator. Customers at BIX.BG will be able to continue consuming their existing services in the accustomed quality and under the existing conditions, and will also benefit from the introduction of new services on the IX.
In addition, DE-CIX will work to enhance the ecosystem in Sofia with further international networks from its global ecosystem. Through the agreement, the management of BIX.BG will be strengthened and BIX.BG will become an additional subsidiary in the DE-CIX Group AG.
With this move, DE-CIX further strengthens its presence in the Balkans to complement their existing exchanges in Istanbul and Athens. This announcement is the next step in a long-term partnership which will result in the mutual enrichment of products and services of the two IX operators. As a part of this, DE-CIX will make its enterprise connectivity products, such as cloud connectivity and cloud routing, also available in Sofia.
Established in 2009, BIX.BG is the largest carrier neutral IX in Bulgaria, with over 130 connected networks and more than 11 terabits of connected customer capacity. The exchange has peak traffic in excess of 1.3 terabits per second. The IX is distributed across 10 points of presence in the Sofia metropolitan area, with an EVPN/MPLS architecture to ensure maximum reliability and 400 GE access ports available. The addition of DE-CIX’s enterprise connectivity products, alongside BIX.BG’s own innovative interconnection products, will open up opportunities for the IX to address new customer groups.
Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX
I am proud that DE-CIX has become a majority stakeholder in BIX.BG, Bulgaria’s leading neutral and distributed exchange. The long-standing and trusted relationship with the BIX.BG team, operating an IX with technical and operative excellence on a par with that of DE-CIX, has led to the opportunity to unite the two companies. Partnerships such as this are always an exciting step for DE-CIX – supporting the integration of BIX.BG into the DE-CIX ecosystem, broadening the horizons for Bulgarian network operators, and solidifying DE-CIX’s footprint in another European country. This business arrangement will enable both IX operators to play to their individual strengths – combining excellence in local peering in Sofia with the global presence of a world leader.
Dimo Nikolov, CEO of BIX.BG
BIX.BG was inspired by DE-CIX more than 17 years ago and we have built our exchange by consistently following industry best practices. This step is about strengthening BIX.BG’s ability to deliver greater value to our clients and partners. By becoming part of the DE-CIX ecosystem, we will expand the opportunities available to networks connected to BIX.BG and support the evolving connectivity needs of the Bulgarian market. DE-CIX is the world’s leading Internet Exchange operator, and its global expertise and ecosystem will complement the strong local platform we have built. Together, we will further strengthen Sofia’s role as a regional connectivity hub while continuing to provide the reliable, neutral interconnection services our members expect.
Dimo Nikolov, CEO of BIX.BG
For our clients and partners, continuity remains key. My focus in the coming months will remain on delivering the best value to our clients and partners, while developing new capabilities that create additional opportunities for the BIX.BG community.