How does a metropolitan or local Internet exchange differ from a national Network Access Point (NAP) or Metropolitan Area Exchange (MAE)?
A. The NAP and MAE were developed to enable the national (“Tier 1”) Internet service providers (ISPs) to exchange national traffic. Metropolitan or local exchanges are designed for the exchange of local traffic. The Northwest Access Exchange allows the exchange of traffic both nationally and locally. In addition, the Exchange provides the ability to buy and sell services, such as Internet transit.
