XConnect LogoThe new joint venture will provide advanced VoIP and NGN peering capabilities to Korea’s IP communications providers, including mobile, fixed-line, and Web-based service providers and ITSPs. The agreement will also enable inter-federation peering with other initiatives around the globe, such as those formed through XConnect’s Global Alliance and DirectRoute services. Peering will enable Korean operators to exchange calls via IP interconnection, which increases call quality and reduces unnecessary transit costs. Peering also enables these operators to securely offer services that the PSTN cannot carry, such as video and high-definition voice, across network boundaries.
“Multi-lateral peering reduces risk and complexity in a chaotic market,” said Camille Mendler, vice president at Yankee Group. “Service providers worldwide urgently need new interconnect solutions to handle the aggressive growth of VoIP and multimedia traffic.”
SIP Peering, security, identity management
With all major leading Korean service providers already exchanging IP data packets through its facilities, KINX will use its partnership with XConnect to enable innovative ENUM registry and SIP interconnection services, as well as security and identity management capability, to deliver flexible and policy-based peering.
The full suite of XConnect’s services will be deployed. These services include a multi-lateral interconnect platform, SIP interoperability, and optimized routing via the multi-protocol XConnect directory server, available through both hosted and locally resident options.
Access to other federations will be made available in several forms. International settlement-free peering will be offered through XConnect’s Global Alliance. Federation member providers will also have the option to earn termination revenue from global wholesale carriers through XConnect’s DirectRoute service, and to form separate, customized bilateral peering agreements with their own policies and settlement terms.
The Korean national federation announcement follows XConnect’s development of similar national peering federations in the Netherlands and Brazil.
“It’s no accident that Korea is now among the early adopters of secure and advanced voice peering federations,” said Eli Katz, XConnect Founder and CEO. “Korea is one of the most advanced VoIP markets in the world, with the world’s highest rate of broadband penetration. By federating through KINX – Korea’s largest IP interconnect exchange – we can jointly deliver to the country’s VoIP and NGN providers a ready-made aggregation point to enable mass-market adoption of new services, with improved quality and reduced cost.”
Rolf Lumpe, XConnect Vice President – Asia, added, “We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration in developing the Korean federation, as well as other peering and federation services throughout the Asia-Pacific region.”
KINX CEO Seon-Yeong Lee noted: “We are delighted to join with XConnect in taking the lead in federation initiatives in Asia. By choosing XConnect as a partner, we have the leading experts in developing federations on our side, bringing a wide and flexible set of peering services to our customers.”
London-based XConnect “bridges VoIP islands” by enabling IP communication operators to connect and exchange voice and multimedia traffic within secure, ENUM-based peering federations. XConnect’s services enable telecom companies to offer rich multimedia IP communications on a cross-network basis and reduce interconnection costs. Backed by Tier 1 venture capital firms, including Accel Partners and Venrock Associates, XConnect was selected by the cable industry in the Netherlands to operate the first national VoIP peering solution. XConnect has lead industry consolidation via the acquisition of the European carrier ENUM exchange, e164.info and US-based peering service IPeerX Inc.
KINX, founded on June 17, 2000, is an Internet internetworking company playing the role of single Neutral eXchange in Korea for seamless traffic internetworking among ISPs. It provides Layer-2 type internetworking services based on standards set by the Korea Internet Internetworking Association, founded by leading domestic ISPs.
KINX’s network center is located in Dogok-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul, the Mecca of Korean IT and telecom. The company provides an optimized operating and rack environment, management services and network infrastructure to Internet Service Providers and customers who want a proxy to operate their network facilities safely and efficiently.