Baku: AzerTelecom, the region's leading international backbone operator, has established a strategic partnership with DE-CIX, the world's leading Internet Exchange (IX) operator. As part of the partnership, AZE-IX (Azerbaijan Internet Exchange) will be launched to enable direct, high-speed Internet traffic exchange between local and international internet operators in Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, AZE-IX will serve as a neutral platform for local and international networks, content providers, cloud service providers, and enterprises. By enabling Internet traffic exchange within Azerbaijan, the platform will reduce latency and enhance the performance and resilience of backbone Internet networks.

The launch of AZE-IX marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Digital Silk Way project and will further strengthen Azerbaijan's position as one of the main hubs of information exchange and digital connectivity between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Commenting on the significance of the partnership with DE-CIX, Emil Masimov, Chairman of the Board of AzerTelecom, noted: "AZE-IX will become one of the key Internet interconnection hubs for regional and global networks, placing Azerbaijan on the global map of Internet Exchanges."

Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, said: "DE-CIX has spent over three decades building neutral interconnection ecosystems that help regions close gaps in digital access and capability. Azerbaijan's position at the crossroads of the Caspian, Black Sea, and Central Asian corridors makes it a natural location for a new connectivity hub. We look forward to working with AzerTelecom to bring our proven interconnection model to Baku and support the development of the country's interconnection ecosystem."

AZE-IX will be built on DE-CIX's internationally proven interconnection model, which powers more than 50 Internet Exchanges across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.