On June 30, China's Internet Exchange Center was officially launched in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. 

(Photo via miit.gov.cn)

What is an Internet Exchange Center? 

A local official of Zhejiang Province indicated that the newly-launched Internet Exchange Center looks like a "transport hub", which simplifies the procedures of traffic exchange between Internet networks, and provides solutions to problems within the current traditional exchange process, and improves the quality and efficiency of inter-enterprise connectivity.

What's the newness? 

According to Yu Jianjun, director of the Network Security Management Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Communications Management Department, the Center not only includes traditional telecom enterprises but also gives access to companies whose businesses are involved in the Internet, cloud computing, content distribution, data management and so on. The Center is expected to improve multi-point connectivity, as well as more convenient exchanges in terms of data, information, and resources. 

What's the status of this new Center? 

According to open release, approximately 40 companies, including major internet service providers (ISPs), internet companies, content delivery networks (CDNs), and data centers have connected to the Internet Exchange Center.

The new Internet Exchange Center is expected to facilitate better, more neutralized services to those internet companies 

(Compiled by Xu Yuhong, translated by Hu Lingyun, edited by Ye Ke)