> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Excited Wichita Breaks Ground on New Internet Exchange Point - URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/excited-wichita-breaks-ground-on-new-internet-exchange-point/ - Published: 2025-05-21T13:47:37.000Z - Updated: 2026-03-11T05:53:12.000Z - Description: Carrier-neutral IXP by Connected Nation and Newby Ventures at Wichita State University will boost internet connection times and speeds. - Author: Maggie Macfarlane - Tags: Middle Mile, IXPs, Internet Exchange Points, Wichita State University, Kansas, Tom Ferree, Hunter Newby, Dr. Richard Muma, Lily Wu, Mayor Lily Wu, Bill Abston, #with-siderail May 21, 2025– The city of Wichita, Kansas, is receiving its first carrier-neutral Internet Exchange Point, with a [groundbreaking event](https://connectednation.org/press-releases/connected-nation-breaks-ground-on-kansass-first-internet-e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last Thursday. An [Internet Exchange Point](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-internet-exchanges-necessary-for-rural-areas-experts/), or IXP, is a physical location where broadband companies are united under one roof to serve a certain area. This creates quicker links for shorter loading times. IXPs are integral to enhancing middle mile connectivity because they facilitate intermediate connections between the internet’s backbone and last-mile user connections. Carrier-neutral IXPs enable multiple broadband providers to connect in a single facility. Kansas Office of Broadband Development Director **Bill Abston** said, “Quality broadband is the common thread that is central to bringing communities together.” Video of the groundbreaking Abston said he helped link Connected Nation and Newby Ventures to receive the $5 million grant for the IXP. The grant comes from $28.5 million state broadband funders under the state's Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity program. Connected Nation, a national non-profit, hosted the event to celebrate the IXP near Wichita State University. “The connection to reliable and affordable broadband, and the skills necessary to unleash its full potential, has been a driving force behind our organization,” said **Tom Ferree**, Chairman and CEO of Connected Nation, who opened the event. “This IXP allows us to move faster, more securely, and more affordably,” Wichita Mayor **Lily Wu** said. “It’s a strategic investment that positions Wichita as a tech-forward, future-ready hub.” The mayor explained how it will help her city’s advanced research for aviation, a known civic strength. The collaboration between the city, Connected Nation, and the university will be a “first for many,” said Ferree. **Hunter Newby**, CEO of infrastructure investor Newby Ventures, said: “I have been buying buildings that have the networks in them.” Newby is a pioneer in the area of “meet me” connection points, or carrier-neutral spaces that enhance broadband connectivity. This IXP is a first for Newby, he said, in that there is not yet a building there. “This partnership reflects Wichita State’s commitment to innovation, economic development, and serving the needs of our state,” Dr. **Richard Muma**, the president of Wichita State University. The school is ready for a more reliable network that allows students to access faster internet. The expansion, happening just across the street from the university’s Eck Stadium, is a “direct reflection of the kind of work we strive to do at Wichita State.” The school gave the project a 40-year ground lease, in addition to helping build the foundation to resist severe weather in the area. The IXP is planned to be finished and operational by Spring 2026.