Seven ISPs team up to launch ‘TNAP’ internet exchange point

Hurriyet Daily News has reported that a group of seven internet service providers (ISPs) have joined forces in an effort to turn Istanbul into a regional internet peering hub. ISPs Borusan Telekom, Dogan Telekom, Global Iletisim, Grid Telekom, Koc.net, Superonline and TurkNet have come together to launch Turkey’s first internet exchange point, dubbed ‘Internet Network Infrastructure Platform’, or TNAP. Despite its strategic position as a regional hub – it straddles Europe and the Middle East – Turkey has never had its own internet exchange point, and Turkish broadband providers have been forced to use either the Frankfurt Internet Exchange Point or the London Internet Exchange. It is now hoped that Turkey will become the leading exchange point for many of its neighbouring countries. Cem Celebiler, general manager of TurkNet, commented: ‘We have invested a total of TRY10 million (USD6.35 million) collaboratively into a 100km enlargement project of the fibre-optic infrastructure network’. Dogan Telekom representative Fazil Esen added: ‘Without additional fees, TNAP is open to all ISPs. With more ISPs and GSM firms such as Vodafone, Avea and Turkcell joining TNAP, access to the internet will be faster and cheaper’. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Turkey was home to 6.85 million broadband subscribers at the end of September 2010.