DE-CIX & South Front extend Chicago access in Midwest

DE-CIX and South Front Networks have partnered to extend access to DE-CIX Chicago for internet service providers in the Upper Midwest, adding 20 points of presence across Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

The deal targets smaller carriers that want access to content and gaming networks in Chicago without establishing their own point of presence in the city. South Front Networks' existing middle-mile footprint runs from Peoria to Des Moines and on to Minneapolis, giving regional operators a route into the exchange.

DE-CIX Chicago is one of the city's main internet exchanges, connecting more than 80 networks. A 400 GE interconnection between the two networks is already in place, and the service is now available to order.

For regional internet providers, the link offers a way to buy transport and peering through a single arrangement rather than building direct infrastructure into Chicago. Customers using the service also avoid additional cross-connect costs for access to the exchange.

Regional reach

The partnership extends DE-CIX Chicago into a part of the US market where many providers operate at smaller scale and rely on outside facilities to reach large content platforms. Some of the content available through its Chicago network is not readily available at other exchanges in the region.

Traffic growth has increased the importance of regional interconnection hubs as local providers seek lower-latency routes to streaming, cloud and gaming services. Traffic at DE-CIX Chicago has risen by more than 300% over the past 12 months.

Chicago is also DE-CIX's fastest-growing exchange in Illinois and offers ports from 10 GE to 400 GE. The site is the only major exchange in the Chicago metropolitan area with Google Verified Peering Partner Gold status, allowing connected networks to peer directly with Google.

South Front Networks focuses on the middle-mile segment of telecoms infrastructure, linking local access networks to larger interconnection and transit hubs. That places it between international Tier 1 carriers and local last-mile broadband providers, a role that can be important in rural and regional markets where direct access to dense urban carrier hotels is limited.

Ed d'Agostino, Vice President, DE-CIX North America, described South Front Networks as a strong regional link into the Chicago exchange.

"South Front Networks, with its focus on the US middle-mile and reach across three states, is a perfect partner to bring local and regional ISPs to DE-CIX Chicago. We welcome the opportunity to allow ISPs from the Midwest to cost-effectively and easily access content networks in Chicago without having to have a PoP in the Windy City," said Ed d'Agostino, Vice President, DE-CIX North America.

He also highlighted the range of traffic available through the exchange.

"By connecting to DE-CIX Chicago, ISPs and organizations benefit from low-latency access to many regionally unique content networks, as well as reliable and diverse connectivity to major content providers that appear elsewhere in the region," said d'Agostino.

Network links

The Chicago exchange is also connected to DE-CIX locations elsewhere in North America, including New York, Dallas, Phoenix, Richmond, Houston, Seattle and Mexico. That means networks entering through Chicago can use the wider DE-CIX backbone to exchange traffic with participants in other markets without building separate links into each location.

For smaller carriers in the Upper Midwest, that broader reach could expand interconnection options beyond the immediate region. It also reflects a wider telecoms infrastructure trend, as neutral exchanges and middle-mile specialists try to lower the cost of reaching major content sources for independent and rural broadband operators.

Jay Hanke, President, South Front Networks, said the agreement was designed with those operators in mind.

"South Front Networks is excited to bring yet another turnkey peering opportunity for carriers in the Upper Midwest," said Jay Hanke, President, South Front Networks.

"The new interconnection with DE-CIX will help level the interconnection playing field for smaller carriers in the Upper Midwest," said Hanke.