EPIX in a new phase of development

EPIX has remained one of the most important IP traffic exchange points in Poland for years. Its role in the telecommunications ecosystem continues to grow, with successive quarters bringing changes that not only strengthen the infrastructure, but also change the rules of the game for operators. Recent months have shown that the project is not standing still, but dynamically responding to market needs and planning for the future with a momentum we have not seen before. This was recounted by Paweł Białas, director of sales and development of the MdO Group, and Łukasz Biernacki, leader of the MdO Project, at the 10th Anniversary MdO Convention in Łochów. 

Over the years, the EPIX backbone has been based on three points: Warsaw, Katowice and Poznań. This arrangement supported the development of operators and allowed for efficient traffic exchange, especially on the Warsaw-Poznan axis. However, growing capacity needs and a change in traffic structure made the existing solutions inadequate. The answer to these challenges is Jaworzno, i.e. the new fourth node, which is just starting its operations and will in time become a key element of the network. For operators in southern Poland, this means shorter paths, greater stability and redundancy - another source of computing and infrastructure power.

- Expect to see more news about Jaworzno in the coming months. We intend to brag about this venture - Paul Bialas commented during the lecture.

Operators' needs are changing the market

In the background of the infrastructure expansion, an operation of a formal dimension is underway, which on the surface may seem unspectacular, but in fact is fundamental to the further development of the project. It involves the transfer of contracts from the e-South association to the company that owns the infrastructure. It's a complicated process, requiring patience and determination, but its effects will be felt for years. Unified invoicing, clear legal accountability and an easier service development process will make EPIX operate more efficiently, faster and in accordance with formal requirements. The last operators waiting for the new documents should prepare to finalize this stage.

EPIX is increasingly moving beyond local traffic exchange. Today, a dense network of international connections is becoming one of the pillars of its business. The key Katowice-Prague and Poznań-Frankfurt routes are constantly being developed and expanded to handle the growing traffic generated by streaming platforms, online gaming and content providers. These are no longer add-ons, but strategic pieces of infrastructure that enable operators to compete with the largest market players.

One of the major breakthroughs in recent months has been the introduction of DE-CIX in Poznan, in cooperation with Hawe, is an additional GLOBAL. This is a qualitative change that allows operators to buy global bandwidth in a model that is simple, transparent and without intermediaries. The ability to order ports with bandwidth tailored to your needs, the availability of long-term contracts and steadily declining prices show that EPIX is not only keeping up with the market, but actually ahead of it. Global players such as Lumen, Arelion and GTT remain on offer, while the partnership with Cogent is coming to an end for technical reasons.

- This is further proof that the project does not forcefully maintain partnerships that do not deliver the expected quality. And with us, the prices for MSPOs are always preferred - referred to the matter by the director of sales and development at the MIA Group.

Global giants enter the game

The strength of the traffic exchange point is demonstrated not by declarations, but by customers. And in recent weeks, one of the most recognizable entities in the gaming world has joined the EPIX ecosystem, namely Riot Games, creator of League of Legends and Valoranta. This is the result of months of negotiations, testing and arrangements, opening the door for more global content providers. In an industry where milliseconds matter, the choice of EPIX as a presence hub is the best proof that investments in infrastructure yield tangible results.

- Negotiations and technical work took more than a year, but it was finalized - Wojciech Ogonek of the MiŚOT Group's commercial department added.

The statistics leave no illusions. The structure of traffic and the needs of operators are changing faster than ever. The number of 1 Gbps ports is declining, while the demand for 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps ports is growing. Operators want more capacity, stability and the ability to aggregate more services without further migrations. Poznan is beginning to rebound, although Warsaw continues to attract the most participants. Jaworzno is just beginning its journey, but the site's growth prospects are groundbreaking for the project.