14 - 20 December 2000

NIC calls for cooperation between ISPs

The Network Information Centre (Malta) which was instrumental in the setting up of the Malta Internet Exchange (MIX) in 1999, yesterday issued a statement with regard to the present dispute between VOL and the ISPs action committee and the setting up of the new ATM backbone.
NIC said that the Malta Internet Exchange (MIX) was set up to provide a cost-effective, high-bandwidth link servicing local internet traffic. This was intended to avoid the need to make use of comparatively slow and expensive international bandwidth for purely local internet communications.
“Although both backbones have ostensibly similar aims they are currently operating in isolation in the sense that traffic from one backbone to the other must travel over international links, somewhat defeating the idea behind the original MIX,” the NIC said.
The NIC, an independent, non-profit-making organisation, added that it aimed to promote the interest of the local internet community as a whole. It said an environment of cooperation and fairness among all players is crucial to the realisation of that aim. The NIC said it would continue to support the MIX as long as a need for it is recognised within the local Internet community. It will also seek to establish any arrangements that are necessary to guarantee the availability of local backbone facilities to all members Malta’s internet community.
The Malta Internet Exchange was the result of close cooperation between all the ISPs in 1999 at a time when decisions regarding internet connectivity were taken in a spirit of goodwill.