General Manager of CCT Global Communications Mr. Jose-Luis Fernandez signs the Internet Exchange Point Memorandum of Understanding at the IXP launching ceremony held on June 3 at the Moorings Conference Room. Deputy Director of the Department of Information Technology Ms. Lucia Donovan looks on. (Photo credit: GIS/ Mr. Ronnielle Frazer)

The initiative was spearheaded by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) who teamed up with local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) CCT Global Communication and LIME, along with the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) to make it reality.

According to a Government Information Service press release, the Virgin Islands is now the first Caribbean British Overseas Territory and second English-speaking Caribbean country to establish an IXP.

The purpose of the IXP project was to establish a means to avoid sending local internet traffic internationally by having the local ISPs exchange traffic intended for local recipients. Previously, such traffic between ISPs would have been routed to the United States of America and then back to the Virgin Islands.

It was hailed as a major accomplishment by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Mrs. Arlene Smith-Thompson at the launching ceremony held on Thursday June 2, 2011.

“The launch of the Territory’s own Internet Exchange Point is significant and marks an important milestone in the development of telecommunications technology in the Virgin Islands,” she was quoted as saying by the GIS release.

Mrs. Smith-Thompson emphasised the benefits of the IXP, saying, “The Territory is now better positioned to take advantage of the benefits this initiative affords such as increased resiliency of the national network, increased quality of internet services, improved protection of privacy and business secrets, new business opportunities and innovative services and the overall strengthening of the internet and telecommunications infrastructure.”

The acting permanent secretary, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Communications and Works Honourable Julian Fraser, RA, said that Hon. Fraser is also very pleased with the accomplishment as he had always shown keen interest in the project which began in September 2009.

Caribbean Telecommunication Union’s Secretary General Ms. Bernadette Lewis presents Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Mrs. Arlene Smith-Thompson with a plaque to commemorate the launch of the Virgin Islands’ Internet Exchange Point on June 3 at the Moorings Conference Room. (Photo credit: GIS/ Mr. Ronnielle Frazer)

Thursday’s ceremony involved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a framework for the IXP’s operations, by Deputy Director of DoIT Ms. Lucia Donovan, General Manager of CCT Global Communications Mr. Jose-Luis Fernandez and General Manager of LIME Mr. Sean Auguste. Messrs Fernandez and Auguste also signed a Peering Agreement which stipulates how both ISPs will exchange internet traffic.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the TRC Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas thanked the ISPs for what he said was an excellent example of cooperation.

The initiative was spearheaded by the TRC with assistance from the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and research institute Packet Clearing House (PCH), who both donated the initial IXP equipment.

CTU’s Secretary General Ms. Bernadette Lewis congratulated the Virgin Islands on the achievement and presented the acting permanent secretary with a plaque to commemorate the occasion. Ms. Lewis also explained the history behind the Territory’s IXP which she attributed to Hon. Fraser, who developed a keen interest while attending the Caribbean ICT Road Show in St. Kitts and Nevis in August 2009 which led to the formation of a working group in February 2010, comprised of personnel from the TRC, Department of Information Technology, CCT Global Communications, LIME and other interested parties, established to inform the technical design and rules of operation for the VI IXP.

Attendees pose for a photo opportunity after the Internet Exchange Point launching ceremony held on June 3 at the Moorings Conference Room. (Photo credit: GIS/ Mr. Ronnielle Frazer)