LINX and Smartoptics extend partnership for Nairobi IX hub

The facility in Nairobi will use the Smartoptics DCP-404 muxponder for cost-effective 400G DWDM.

With over 950 ASNs connecting from over 80 different countries worldwide, members of The London Internet Exchange (LINX) have access to direct routes from a large number of diverse international peering partners. Now LINX is expanding, building its first physical presence in Africa. The new interconnection hub will be housed in the first hyperscale data center in East Africa, operated by IXAfrica. Situated in the capital of Kenya, LINX Nairobi will provide future-proof interconnection solutions, giving members access to a large and growing region of Africa.

Building on years of successful collaboration with own deployments in the UK, LINX partnered with Smartoptics once again to enable cost-efficient 400G at its new African interconnection hub. The Smartoptics DCP-404 muxponder and DCF-F open line system were chosen to secure cost-efficient, full 400G bandwidth.

“In LINX Nairobi, we see great potential serving the fastest growing continent in the world where digital transformation is accelerating at a rapid pace. Smartoptics has provided effective and future-proof optical networking solutions along with excellent support over the years and we are pleased to bring them with us on this exciting journey to Africa. We particularly appreciate the DCP-404 muxponder’s ability to stretch long fiber distances using 400G, its ease of use and the useful optical diagnostics it provides – not to mention the high rate of fiber utilization and overall efficiency,” said Mark Lloyd, Principal Network Engineer, LINX.

LINX has worked with Smartoptics since 2019 when Smartoptics open line systems were deployed in their London hubs. LINX then built on this by adding DCP-404 muxponders to their existing deployments in 2022.

“LINX provides an excellent example of how our DCP-404 muxponder has become a game changer. In the London deployment, the muxponder alongside our open line systems allowed an additional 400G redundant capacity to be added. In the Nairobi deployment, the DCP-404 on its own provides a highly cost-effective solution for delivering a single 400G wavelength between sites. We are proud to be a partner of LINX and look forward to the launch of the exciting Nairobi initiative,” said Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO, Smartoptics.