EdgeConneX® has announced a partnership with the Midwest Internet Cooperative Exchange (MICE) to build a new remote MICE node into its Minneapolis-based Edge Data Center® (EDC), available in the fourth quarter of 2015. Located at 6875 Shady Oak Road in Eden Prairie, MN, the expansion will be instrumental in the advancement of the local Internet community by ensuring dynamic content delivery to local-market consumers.

Offering a new diverse dark fiber path, EdgeConneX will provide secure connectivity between the MICE node inside its Minneapolis EDC and the MICE Core Switch, located in Downtown East Minneapolis’ 511 Building. This remote switch will enable EdgeConneX Minneapolis customers, including wireless carriers, service providers, CDN and enterprises, to have direct access to MICE’s Bilateral and Multilateral Peering Services as well as Direct Content Services provided by leading CDN and content providers.

“Having a remote MICE node inside our Minneapolis EDC will enable EdgeConneX to provide customers with a new access point to MICE’s Core Switch as well as participating networks,” remarks Clint Heiden, chief commercial officer at EdgeConneX. “MICE’s established participant base, coupled with our purpose-built and strategically placed Minneapolis EDC, will allow providers to mitigate traffic latency by bypassing Chicago and ensure the fastest and most reliable physical delivery of content to local-market consumers.”

MICE is a nonprofit, donation-supported and volunteer operated network exchange located in Minneapolis, MN. Started by Steve Howard of Paul Bunyan Telephone and Jay Hanke of Mankato Networks in 2010 to improve MSP-area bandwidth and connection speeds, and to level the playing field for smaller operators, MICE has grown to over 60 participants across both its core and remote switches. MICE members include Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Application Service Providers (ASPs), carriers, cable companies, VoIP providers, government entities, academic institutions, and content providers. 

“MICE is thrilled to support a second major data center provider in the twin cities region, and we look forward to connecting many customers from this new EdgeConneX facility,” adds Reid Fishler, board member of MICE. “The EdgeConneX Minneapolis EDC is a reliable and ideally located facility for our newest node, increasing the connectivity options available, while further advancing our shared mission of improving Internet connectivity at the Edge.”

EdgeConneX specializes in providing purpose-built, power dense and edge of network Edge Data Centers and wireless solutions that enable the fastest delivery of content to end-users. EdgeConneX has created a new Edge of the Internet by designing and deploying facilities that are strategically positioned nearest to network provider aggregation points, ensuring the lowest latency data delivery, with an improved quality of service.

The EdgeConneX Minneapolis EDC is purpose-built and precisely located to provide the shortest and fastest routes for content delivery to local consumers, enterprises and Internet customers throughout the upper Midwest.