Experts and industry officials pushed for building internet exchange points deeper into parts of the [US] that currently lack them, arguing it would be necessary for continued economic development.
[Hunter] Newby and the nonprofit Connected Nation, whose executive vice president, Brent Legg, moderated the discussion, are trying to get 125 more IXPs built in regional hub cities across the country. But it’s been slow going, he said. The group helped secure $5 million in grant funding to build an exchange point on Wichita State University’s campus in 2023, which is expected to finish construction this year.
“We’ve got 125 of these to go build. If we have to wait for grants like we did with the state, that will take the rest of our lives and our kids’ lives,” he said. “Not gonna happen. We’ve got to find another way to do it.”
Read more about the USA’s Internet infrastructure in our Pulse Country Report and Pulse IXP Tracker.