FreeBIX provides a free and reliable high speed interconnection between internet service providers in Belgium and The Netherlands. FreeBIX is a non-profit, neutral and independent, professional exchange. FreeBIX is without any charges during the year 2006 for every joining member. Even if FreeBIX services are free, FreeBIX provides to members a full high quality service.
The Internet consists of many independent networks. An Internet Exchange is a place where Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can interconnect these independent networks and exchange Internet traffic with each other. This exchanging of national and/or international IP traffic on an Internet Exchange is generally known as "peering".
Peering is the exchange of traffic between ISPs. In order to settle the terms to which this exchange takes place ISPs use peering agreements which often do not include an exchange of money. This helps to reduce the costs of IP Traffic in a significant way.
One of the largest costs facing any ISP nowadays are the upstream capacity costs of connections. Peering arrangements at an exchange reduce the need to send IP traffic through a bandwidth upstream provider. One single connection to an exchange point (such as FreeBIX) may reduce the need for multiple connections and gives the ISP the possibility to be present in different countries. Latency is usually also improved by connecting to an IX.
Here at FreeBIX, members are easily able to connect up with each other (for free!) and enjoy the full benefits of peering. Every member at FreeBIX is in the position to peer with any or all other connected ISP's although they are not required to. Each member might have a different peering policy, and this policy may differ depending on the ISP that is negotiating with them.
FreeBIX is located in different countries. Each member can peer with any other member in the different countries.
You can find some press articles about FreeBIX on the "In the news" page.