Nation embarks on nationwide mission to enhance internet performance
The Georgia Communications Commission (ComCom) has embarked on a comprehensive study to upgrade the country's broadband infrastructure, with a focus on developing Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and enhancing IP peering among internet operators. The project, launched in July 2025, aims to identify market barriers, promote cooperation between internet service providers, and improve internet speed, quality, and reliability in Georgia.
Strategies for Improvement
The study involves several strategies to achieve its goals. These include conducting a detailed market analysis to understand current challenges and opportunities in broadband service quality and competition. The project also emphasises improving cooperation between internet service providers through IP peering, which allows internet traffic to be exchanged directly rather than routed internationally.
Another key strategy is the promotion of the establishment and growth of IXPs to reduce reliance on international transit routes, thereby decreasing latency and costs for services such as online gaming, video conferencing, and cloud applications. The study also plans to benchmark and integrate international best practices tailored to the Georgian market.
Engaging Stakeholders
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the market, the study engages with a wide range of stakeholders, including major providers like Magticom, Silknet, Akhali Kselebi, Caucasus Online, and smaller operators, through expert interviews and consultations. The study also collaborates with Plum Consulting Paris SAS, an international expert consultancy in telecommunications regulation, to support the study and policy formulation.
Expected Outcomes
The development of IXPs in Georgia is expected to increase speed for latency-sensitive applications such as gaming, video calls, and cloud services. It is also anticipated that this move will lower operational costs. The study is designed to address primary issues such as IP peering arrangements, interconnection accessibility, traffic exchange practices, and the overall speed and quality of accessing local and global content.
Long-term Goals
The long-term goal of the study is to build a more competitive and efficient internet system to support Georgia's digital growth. This project aims to strengthen Georgia’s digital ecosystem, improve broadband competition and quality, and elevate the country’s technological capacity regionally by fostering a robust local internet infrastructure centered on IXPs.
The study will incorporate global practices and produce policy recommendations tailored to Georgia's digital needs. With the nationwide study well underway, Georgia is poised to take a significant step towards a more efficient and competitive internet system.
[1] [5] References omitted for Markdown format.
Technology will be a crucial element in achieving the study's goals, as strategies include improving cooperation between internet service providers through IP peering, and the promotion of the establishment and growth of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). The development of IXPs in Georgia is expected to decrease latency and costs for various technology-reliant services such as online gaming, video conferencing, and cloud applications.
