Milan, 2nd March 2016 - Open Hub Med (OHM) and Fastweb, the leading alternative fixed-line telecommunications operator in Italy, announce that the company joins the consortium which seeks to become the first neutral data exchange hub in Italy and the main landing point for submarine cables.
In joining the Open Hub Med, Fastweb will direct data and Internet traffic originating through submarine cables from the East and Africa along its fibre optic backbone to Milan and thereafter onto the major European hubs (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris).
Asian traffic in fact continues to grow: traffic to Europe from this region is expected to increase almost 60% between 2014 and 2019. A significant portion of this traffic is currently routed through Marseille, at present the main independent submarine data traffic junction in the Mediterranean.
Through connections between its Palermo Carini datacenter and the other submarine cable landing stations and the realization of a data transport platform open to Europe, Open Hub Med will build an international access platform, located strategically in the center of the Mediterranean, reducing submarine cables in favour of more secure land cables and benefitting from reduced latency times compared to the French junction.
The OHM datacenter, housed in Italtel's research facility in Carini, is the first neutral and independent technological base in Southern Italy for the hosting of operator, OTT, enterprises and public administration technological equipment. Operational from the initial months of 2016, the structure will offer neutrality, reliability and security in line with the best sector standards.
"Our mission is to put Italy among the major players in the international telecommunications market. OHM guarantees an open and neutral market of data transport services in Italy drawing a traffic junction ecosystem that operates in southern Italy up to Milan and from there to northern Europe and beyond" says Valeria Rossi, President of OHM. " Fastweb joins the eight members who have launched the project (Interoute Italy, Italtel, NGI/Aeolus, MIX - Milan Internet Exchange, Supernap Italy, Equinix Italy, Vuetel Italy and the Sicilian consortium Xmed) and this confirms the common will to work together to make Italy more attractive for investors and foreign operators in favour of the whole system and infrastructures in Italy".
"Fastweb has decided to invest in the Open Hub Med consortium in order to contribute to the creation of a high quality technological hub in Palermo" stated Fabrizio Casati, Chief Wholesale Officer of Fastweb. " The development of the entire country's economy hinges on the quality of the technological infrastructure and we consider Open Hub Med as a central tool to ensure Italy a key position on the international communications map."