international exchange (IE)

An International Exchange(IE) is a switching node for the transition from national networks to international ones. In the switching hierarchy, these are the international exchanges.

The International Telecommunication Union( ITU) has dealt extensively with transit exchanges in its Q Recommendations, specifying in various recommendations the analog transmission characteristics (Q.45), response characteristics (Q.109), switching speed (Q.125), transfer time (Q.265), signaling (Q.462), and areas of operation (Q.500).

On the Internet, the international exchanges are called Internet Exchange Points( IXP). They are used to connect the networks of the Internet service providers(ISPs) with those of the backbone operators.