KUALA LUMPUR: Asean is likely to have its own Internet exchange and domain by 2015 that will enable the region to enjoy higher Internet connectivity at an affordable cost.
Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said Asean telecommunications ministers at the 10th Asean Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (Telmin) agreed to work on this but said that the initiative would need a lot of research and preparations to ensure its success.
“I can foresee this (Asean Internet exchange and domain name) will be a popular topic in the next meetings of telecommunications officials and ministers in Myanmar,” he told reporters after the launch of the Asean ICT Masterplan 2015 (AIM 2015) here yesterday.
The two-day Telmin concluded yesterday.
The next meeting will be held in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s new administrative capital by the end of the year.
An Internet exchange primarily functions as a point for networks to interconnect directly rather than through a third-party network.
With an Internet exchange, the cost to the consumer would be reduced while bandwidth speed increased.
Currently, Internet users surfing Malaysia-based websites are routed via hosted servers located in Singapore or the United States, as they have more international telecommunication cables and operating costs are cheaper.
A domain name is an identification label that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet.
Domain names are also host names that identify Internet Protocol (IP) resources such as web sites.
An Asean domain name is expected follow in the footsteps of the European Union, which has its “.eu” domain. — Bernama