Launched last year by Lancom with NetIX’s Internet Exchange-as-a-Service (IXaaS) platform, NetIX GR has quickly grown into one of Southeast Europe’s fastest-developing IXPs, the company claimed.
As a result, the move can now peer locally while exchanging traffic with Athens and Thessaloniki through the same platform, which connects Crete directly to Greece’s digital ecosystem.
In less than a year, it has expanded across Athens and Thessaloniki, now connecting nearly 40 members, including Hurricane Electric, Packet Clearing House, TI Sparkle Greece, Fibergrid- PPC, Hellenic Cable Networks and Metadosis.
Globally, NetIX connects more than 200 members across 220+ PoPs in 65 countries and over 10,000 networks.
Lancom CEO, George Nolis, said: “With NetIX GR, our vision has always been to decentralize interconnection in Greece and empower regional ecosystems. Bringing the first Internet Exchange to Chania is a historic milestone for Crete’s digital economy.
“Together with NetIX, we are ensuring Crete will no longer serve just as a transit point for submarine cables – it will become an active interconnection hub. Local ISPs, CDNs, hyperscalers, and enterprises can now meet at the exchange, unlock new opportunities, and keep traffic local while seamlessly accessing Greek and global networks.
“The upcoming Balkan Gate data center in Heraklion will complete our vision for Crete as a true digital gateway to Greece and Europe.”
NetIX VP of connectivity services, Dean Belev, added: “NetIX is proud to provide the IX-as-a-Service platform powering Lancom’s ambitious rollout of NetIX GR. The growth seen in Athens and Thessaloniki shows the strong demand for local and global interconnection in Greece.
“Expanding into Chania puts Crete firmly on Europe’s digital map, ensuring the entire region benefits from faster, cheaper, and more resilient connectivity.”
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