Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX)

What Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) does

Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) Regional Internet Exchange Point (IXP) founded in 2014 and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. It operates as a neutral interconnection fabric where networks — including ISPs, content delivery networks, academic institutions, government entities, and enterprises — exchange BGP-routed traffic directly with one another, reducing upstream transit costs and latency. As of late 2024, the exchange reports 96 active members, 122 active peers reached via its route server, aggregate member capacity of 9.9 Tbps, and peak traffic of 2.5 Tbps. The platform is distributed across six metro-Detroit and Western Michigan locations, anchored on Arista 7060X5 series switches, and is positioned by its operators as the largest free, fee-free IXP in the world.

DET-iX operates an explicitly non-commercial model: there are no membership fees, port charges, cross-connect fees, or traffic-based charges. The exchange is funded entirely through donations and in-kind contributions from member organizations and infrastructure vendors, and is governed by an all-volunteer board with no paid staff. Disclosed major recurring donors include 123NET (donating $10,000+ annually and providing core fiber/uplink infrastructure) and Arista Networks (donating $10,000+ annually in equipment), with smaller contributions from groups such as Aptient Consulting Group. The platform publishes member case studies (e.g., Daystarr Communications, Amplex, STELLER) demonstrating use cases across regional ISPs and enterprise networks, but generates no recurring service revenue in the conventional sense.

The economic proposition for participants is structurally different from a commercial IXP such as Equinix or MegaIX: members contribute equipment, fiber, and capital in lieu of paying port fees, and in return gain free, high-throughput, low-latency peering within a regional footprint. This shapes DET-iX as a community-resource infrastructure asset rather than a revenue-generating business — relevant for any PE/VC evaluation, since traditional revenue, margin, and growth metrics do not apply in their usual form.

Name

Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX)

Legal name

Detroit Internet Exchange

Website

https://det-ix.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) is a nonprofit, fee-free Regional Internet Exchange Point in Southfield, Michigan, providing free BGP peering across six locations to 96+ member networks including ISPs, CDNs, and enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Exchange Point (IXP) / Network Peering Infrastructure

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Exchanges (52321), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (523210), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (5232)

SIC

Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) & Peering Services (HDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interconnection-Focused Colocation (IX / Meet-Me-Room Ecosystems) (HDABACAF), Data Center Interconnection (DCI) & Cross-Connects (HDABALAB), Carrier Interconnection & Peering Exchanges (IXPs, private interconnect, cross-connect) (HDAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Internet exchange point
• Network peering services
• Regional IXP infrastructure
• BGP traffic exchange
• Fee-free peering

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: DET-iX is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization that relies on financial donations and in-kind contributions from members and supporters. Donations support infrastructure maintenance, equipment upgrades, and operational costs. Contributions may be tax-deductible as business expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DET-iX is a nonprofit regional Internet Exchange Point that provides free, open-policy BGP peering infrastructure for any organization holding an Autonomous System Number (ASN) and IP addresses. The exchange enables members — including ISPs, CDNs, academic institutions, local governments, and automotive manufacturers — to directly exchange traffic across six distributed colocation facilities in the Detroit metropolitan area, with port speeds ranging from 1G to 400G and higher, route-server-based multi-peer connectivity, and live traffic statistics.

Product overview

Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) operates as a single, unified Internet Exchange Point service — a nonprofit 501(c)(6) regional IXP founded in 2014. The offering is not modular; it provides a single core peering service where members connect to exchange traffic directly. The service includes access to multiple exchange locations across Michigan (Southfield, Byron Center, Detroit), port speeds ranging from 1G to 400G+, and a route server for policy-based peering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) Peering Service A nonprofit regional Internet Exchange Point (IXP) that provides free, open-policy BGP peering services for any organization holding an Autonomous System Number (ASN) and IP addresses. Enables direct traffic exchange between member networks — including ISPs, Content Delivery Networks, academic institutions, local governments, and automotive manufacturers — across six distributed colocation facilities in the Detroit metropolitan area, reducing latency and transit costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Peak traffic of 2.5 Tbps achieved in late 2024 (equivalent to streaming over 830,000 movies simultaneously)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• 123NETcoreOthers · 1 January 2024123NET is a major infrastructure partner providing colocation, dark fiber, and transport services connecting DET-iX to Chicago. They host multiple exchange locations (DC1-DC4) and are classified as a MAJOR DONOR having contributed over $10,000 in services annually. This is a foundational infrastructure partnership critical to DET-iX operations.
• Arista NetworkscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Arista Networks is a MAJOR DONOR having provided three Arista 7060X5 switches, transceivers, and support services (valued at $10,000+ annually). These switches power DET-iX's core infrastructure. This is a strategic technology partnership providing essential network hardware.
• 365 Data CenterssupportingOthers · 1 January 2024365 Data Centers hosts an exchange location at 24660 Lahser Rd, Southfield, MI, providing colocation services for DET-iX infrastructure.
• EdgeConneXsupportingOthers · 1 January 2024EdgeConneX hosts an exchange location at 21005 Lahser Rd, Southfield, MI, providing edge colocation services for DET-iX infrastructure.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Equinix Internet Exchange: Commercial IXP service operated by Equinix across 50+ global data centers, deeply integrated with Equinix colocation and cross-connect fabric. Represents the bundled, paid alternative to DET-iX for networks seeking single-vendor colocation plus peering in major U.S. markets.
• LINX (London Internet Exchange): Member-funded IXP operating multiple interconnection points in London and other U.K. locations. Offers similar peering, route server, and colocation services as DET-iX but at much larger traffic scale and with a member-dues-based revenue model rather than pure donation funding.
• CoreSite Open Cloud Exchange: Software-defined interconnection service from CoreSite (now part of American Tower) enabling direct cloud and network peering across CoreSite data centers. Competes with DET-iX for content and enterprise peering relationships, particularly where networks want managed, paid connectivity.
• AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange): One of the world's largest commercial IXPs operating from Amsterdam with global Points of Presence. Provides comparable interconnection services for ISPs, CDNs, and content providers but charges port and traffic fees, contrasting with DET-iX's free model.
• DE-CIX: World's largest commercial IXP operator running exchanges in 20+ global metros (Frankfurt, New York, Marseille, etc.) with paid port and traffic-based pricing. Competes with DET-iX for the same content, ISP, and enterprise peering relationships but at a global scale and with a for-profit commercial model.

Direct peers

• Seattle Internet Exchange (SIX): Community-run, nonprofit regional IXP serving the Pacific Northwest with a similar volunteer-governance model and free or low-cost peering. Operates a comparable mix of ISP, CDN, and academic members with multi-site colocation, making it the closest U.S. structural analog to DET-iX.
• UtahIX: Community-operated nonprofit IXP based in Utah with free peering services for member networks. Comparable in mission and structure to DET-iX as a regional, donation-supported exchange serving the Intermountain West ISP and content community.
• INEX (Internet Neutral Exchange Association): Member-funded, neutral nonprofit IXP operating multiple exchange points across Ireland. Shares DET-iX's nonprofit, member-funded ethos and operates a route server with similar peering-facilitation services, making it a structurally close international peer.
• SFMIX (San Francisco Metropolitan Internet Exchange): Volunteer-staffed, neutral nonprofit IXP serving the San Francisco Bay Area with free peering for qualifying networks. Operates with similar community-led governance and member-driven growth, providing a directly comparable U.S. regional exchange peer.

Regional players

• France-IX: Member-based, nonprofit IXP operating exchange points across France (Paris, Marseille, Lyon). Structurally similar to DET-iX in its nonprofit, member-funded approach but focused on the French market, making it a thematically aligned international peer rather than a direct U.S. competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/det-ix

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX)