Conference paper "Internet exchanges as organisers in the interconnection market"

October 16, 2014Uta Meier-Hahn

Today’s internet is made up of more than 48 000 networks, mostly operated by private actors. Together, they produce connectivity – a resource they all depend upon when doing business. In order to establish connectivity these competitors need to cooperate. Internet exchanges offer technical facilities for networks to “meet” and exchange traffic. I argue that internet exchanges have a specific disposition to act as organisers that facilitate the cooperation. This disposition and their organisational practices are analysed through the lens of concepts that are rooted in the economics of convention.