5G as a way station to 6G

AMS-IX (the Amsterdam Internet Exchange) came into being on 1 February 1994. Amsterdam is where it all began, 30 years ago. The organisation enables connections between the networks of streaming services, internet, and cloud providers. In 30 years, internet traffic has exploded. AMS-IX has adapted well to that enormous growth and today still plays a key role in global connectivity.

AMS-IX
AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange) is a neutral and independent association that manages multiple interconnection platforms around the world. The platform in Amsterdam has been operating for almost 30 years and, with over 12 Terabits per second of peak traffic, is one of the oldest and largest internet traffic hubs in the world. Jan explains: "We have over 1,000 networks linked together, we have a presence in 14 data centres around Amsterdam, and we also work with local partners worldwide to build a good digital infrastructure. We always work with local partners because we see what a good digital infrastructure can mean for an economy and society."

AMS-IX is an association, not-for-profit. Jan comments on what this means to him: "I am very proud that we work every day to improve internet connectivity around the world. Based on our mission to create a better society through a better internet, we remain committed to energy-efficient solutions to make the internet more secure, give users more control over their own data and deploy new technologies like AI responsibly."

From 5G to 6G, a real acceleration
Moving from 5G to 6G is a very big step, Jan points out. "There is a huge growth coming, 5G was actually a kind of intermediate station. While 5G has brought significant improvements, 6G is expected to offer even more possibilities, especially in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR). 6G will create a physical and digital continuum, with a constant exchange between the digital and physical worlds, in a much more intense way than we know today. These technological advances will not only enable new applications but also fundamentally change the way we use technology."

Closer to the customer
One of the biggest challenges in implementing 6G is infrastructure. Jan stresses the importance of a robust fibre connection to connect the antennas that will support 6G. "6G is not only a story of antennas, but also of fibre. Traffic needs to be exchanged quickly and efficiently, and that requires an advanced underlying infrastructure," Jan explains. AMS-IX is also working on the 'edge' concept, bringing services closer to the end user to minimise latency and maximise efficiency. This means AMS-IX's services, such as peering, are becoming more virtual and decentralised. "We are exploring how to bring our services closer to the end customer, this will enable even faster and more efficient data processing," Jan said.

AMS-IX and FNS searching together
AMS-IX plays a crucial role in facilitating peering between different networks. Jan explains the added value of participating in the FNS program: "Our involvement in FNS is aimed at understanding and developing the underlying architecture of networks, and implementing AI-driven networks that can optimise themselves. This is still quite a quest for us, which we will work on with the partners in Program Line 2. Jan indicates that AMS-IX can also add a lot of value to the consortium such as knowledge about everything involved in using data. They are also working on a time service. "Time seems something simple but is very complex. We are also working on that and are going to bring it into FNS. Our experts are lined up, FNS is - as a catalyst - a great opportunity to approach our business from new perspectives. Through our input, AMS-IX can be an important facilitator in the evolution and implementation of 6G networks. Thus creating a more efficient, reliable and secure internet ecosystem that meets future connectivity requirements."

Mentality, social behaviour and technology, the future
Jan concludes with his take on all the changes in the world: "We are living in exciting times, the relationship between mentality, social behaviour and technology is complex and mutually influencing. We are really changing our mindset now, ultimately technology is just a tool; how we deploy and integrate it into our lives is guided by our mindset and social dynamics. We are on the brink of a new technological revolution and we are ready to embrace and shape this change.

It is therefore good that we are working on the future together within FNS, this will not solve all the problems, but great things are bound to come out of it."