I wanted to share the following press release and applaud the effort. The Twin Ports Internet Exchange is the second such effort I know in Minnesota. The other effort is the Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange. Both are initiatives to get local broadband providers to work together to exchange local traffic locally. The goal is to reduce dependency on and cost of moving local traffic through national backbone providers. Both are in step with recommendations made by the original Minnesota Ultra High-Speed Task Force (pg 86)…

Consider exchanging intra-state Internet traffic within the state. This may be a robust way to increase performance and reduce vulnerability by allowing the state to remain a fully functioning “island” in the event of attacks and disasters that happen elsewhere.

Here’s the press release…

(Duluth, MN) (November 8, 2012) – Paul Bunyan Communications today announced the creation of the Twin Ports Internet Exchange (TP-IX) in downtown Duluth Minnesota’s Missabe building. TP-IX is a free local connection point for Internet related organizations that has been launched and is now operational.

The purpose of TP-IX is to allow local networks to connect to each other directly rather than through third party networks such as an Internet upstream provider. This direct interconnection “keeps it local” and provides superior performance and greater reliability for local internet traffic. It also reduces the use of upstream providers that were previously the only link between networks, thus reducing costs and decreasing the risk of a broken connection. TP-IX is one of 350+ internet exchange points worldwide.

Gigabit Ethernet connections to TP-IX are free and available to any Internet related organization that has a valid Autonomous System (ASN) and has ethernet connectivity to the Missabe Building. Initial members of TP-IX include Access Broadband, Compudyne and Paul Bunyan Communications.

If TP-IX grows large enough to be self-supporting on a long term basis, Paul Bunyan Communications plans to change TP-IX to a stand-alone cooperative, owned and operated by its members.

“We have seen great success with the Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange in Minneapolis and wanted to extend that opportunity to the Twin Ports area. It’s a win-win situation for all involved helping to improve Internet speeds, provide network redundancy, and lower overall costs” said Steve Howard, Information Technology & Development Manager of Paul Bunyan Communications.

TP-IX is currently operated by Paul Bunyan Communications, a member-owned cooperative with headquarters in Bemidji, MN. Paul Bunyan Communications owns and operates an advanced fiber optic network that serves North Central Minnesota and the Duluth area.

For more information on the Twin Ports Internet Exchange visit the website at www.tp-ix.net.