UK's Internet link with America boosted

Internet connectivity between the UK and America should benefit from a deal signed this week between the London Internet Exchange (LINX), which handles around 90 percent of UK Internet traffic, and telx, a major interconnection point in New York.

The agreement will allow UK ISPs to set up a virtual presence in America, rather than having to install physical infrastructure onsite. They can then make a physical connection to other ISPs at telx. US ISPs will be able to do the same thing in Britain.

An ISP can link to any other ISP across the Web by any one of countless routes, but by establishing a link directly to and from one of the major interchange points, such as LINX, they can achieve much better performance. LINX says that users could benefit from swifter Web and email, in some circumstances.

This tie-up with telx is part of the "LINX from Anywhere" programme set up last year, which allows allow an ISP that is based overseas to establish a virtual presence in London by setting up a dedicated point-to-point Ethernet connection with the network of an existing UK-based LINX member.

"Smaller ISPs in the USA are going to be particularly interested in LINX from Anywhere because they have potentially high expenses in establishing a physical presence at LINX," said Hunter Newby, chief strategy officer at telx.

"At the same time, the deal between LINX and telx offers opportunities for LINX members to obtain cost-effective transit across the Atlantic," Newby added.