A decade of growth: The evolution of Mixvoip's network

My name is Marc Tholl, and I’ve been leading the network operations at Mixvoip for the past 11 years. When I first joined the company, our network was very small and focus on voice services. Internet access was not on our roadmap yet. Over the years, we’ve upgraded and expand our network, transforming it into a robust international infrastructure. Let me share our journey with you.

In 2014, Mixvoip took its first steps toward building its network infrastructure by moving into its first data center, EBRC Windhof. The setup included two Cisco 2960 switches and two MikroTik CCR1036 routers, which handled internet access and served as VPN endpoints for secure customer connections.

As demand grew, additional capacity and redundancy became necessary. A second data center, LuxConnect DC1.1, a Tier IV datacenter, was added with expanded infrastructure in a shared rack space. Initially, the two sites were connected via a single wavelength.

2017: Becoming an internet service provider and expanding in DC1.1

The decision to offer internet services marked a significant milestone in early 2017. Mixvoip acquired its first IP prefix (185.173.180.0/22) and AS number (AS206610) from RIPE and secured IP transit service from Post Luxembourg (AS6661). Routers for the new service were installed at a third site in Luxembourg City, allowing internet-bound traffic to exit the network there while internal traffic flowed between DC1.1 and this new site.

As the business grew, more space was needed to support additional infrastructure. In 2017, Mixvoip moved from its shared room in DC1.1 to a private cage, providing the capacity for future expansions and enhanced security.

2018: Enhancing redundancy

By 2018, traffic demands, peaking at 4Gb/s, generated by our 1234 internet service, led to the addition of a second transit provider, Arelion (AS1299), delivered in DC1.1. This setup improved network resilience and expanded our capacity.

2019: Optimizing Luxembourg operations

By mid-2019, Mixvoip sought to optimize and expand its services in Luxembourg. We leveraged regulated offers (RUO and RCO) from Post Technologies and deployed equipment in multiple POPs, beginning with POP144 in Merl. This enabled point-to-point FTTH fiber connections, delivering faster, more stable services at competitive prices. Over the next five years, our network expanded to include 14 POPs across Luxembourg.

That same year, we upgraded our border routers to models offering higher capacity and better convergence times, ensuring our network could handle increased traffic more efficiently.

In 2020, we added EDH, a Tier IV datacenter, as a new core site in Luxembourg. We relocated much of the equipment from EBRC to EDH, while upgrading the infrastructure in both EDH and DC1.1 with new routing and switching chassis. This provided enhanced capacity, redundancy, and room for growth.

By the end of 2019, Mixvoip had established itself as a significant player in the internet service market, providing 1,306 internet services to businesses and individuals across Luxembourg. This growth demonstrated the increasing trust customers placed in our network infrastructure. Our services ranged from basic connectivity solutions to complex dedicated fiber connections, all supported by our expanding POP network and enhanced redundancy measures.

2020: Entering Belgium

Early in 2020, Mixvoip entered the Belgian market with a new Point of Presence (POP) in Brussels (BRU1). The initial setup included two routers, one transit provider, and a single connection back to Luxembourg.

As demand grew, partnerships with additional infrastructure providers enabled connectivity through various technologies. DSL and GPON services were delivered via Proximus, coaxial connections were provided by Voo, and fiber connectivity was supported by Eurofiber. This diverse range of partnerships ensured flexible and reliable services for a growing customer base.

A second POP was established in WDC near Liège, providing additional redundancy. Connections to Frankfurt further strengthened the network, supporting both Belgian and German operations. By 2022, routers in Brussels were upgraded to support a 1.2 Tb/s capacity.

2020: Improving operations in Germany

After initial expansion into Germany in late 2018, Mixvoip quickly encountered challenges with the chosen provider in Hamburg, leading to several outages. In mid-2020, the German infrastructure was moved to Frankfurt, at the Equinix FR5 (Tier III) data center. The new setup included connections to Luxembourg and Brussels as well as access to DE-CIX for peering. This move significantly improved stability and reduced dependency on transit providers. The routers in Frankfurt were upgraded in 2022 to handle 1.2 Tb/s traffic.

2023: Expanding into France

In 2023, France became the fourth country in Mixvoip's growing network. A new router was installed in Paris (PA3, Tier. III), connected to Luxembourg and Frankfurt for redundancy. To navigate France's fragmented operator landscape, two aggregation providers were selected to provide initial coverage.

2024: A Year of Innovation and Expansion

In 2024, we’ve been incredibly busy pushing the boundaries of what Mixvoip can offer. We’ve integrated Starlink into our services, enabling us to deliver even more reliable and flexible connectivity options, especially in areas where traditional infrastructure is limited.

We’ve also developed our own SD-WAN solution, which integrates seamlessly into our existing services, offering our customers enhanced connectivity options and improved security. This new solution opens up a range of possibilities, including better control, optimized performance, and more secure network management.

In addition, we’ve implemented a DDoS protection service, which is now part of our offering. This service actively shields our customers from malicious attacks, ensuring the stability and security of their networks.

We’re excited to announce that eSIMs are now available to our customers. This allows for greater flexibility and convenience when managing mobile devices and connectivity across different regions.

Another key development this year is the launch of DNS Shield, a proprietary DNS security system that is active on all Mixvoip internet lines. This system provides an additional layer of protection against malware, and it also allows customers to block specific categories of content. More details on this can be found on our website.

Finally, in 2024, we re-invented our monitoring system. Our new setup delivers faster, more accurate, and clearer data, which empowers us to provide even more stable services and respond to issues more quickly. This has been a game-changer for ensuring the reliability of our network.

Looking ahead

Over the past decade, Mixvoip has grown from a small setup of two switches and two routers in a single data center to a network spanning four countries, 21 Points of Presence (POPs), and numerous routers and switches.

The IP space has expanded significantly during this time as well. Mixvoip began with a single /22 prefix, totaling 1,024 IP addresses, and now operates multiple prefixes of varying lengths, managing a total of 21,504 IP addresses.

The next phase of development will focus on updating the Luxembourg network. Stage one involves upgrading the routing infrastructure with new routers to achieve 1.2 Tb/s capacity, ensuring room for future growth. Stage two will address switching architecture, transitioning to EVPN-VXLAN technology. This will enhance network flexibility, simplify redundancy, and provide more possibilities for cloud customers.

Mixvoip continues to build a network that delivers reliable, scalable, and secure services, meeting the needs of today while preparing for tomorrow.

Latest articles

Telephony

SIP Trunk

Call rates

Phone numbers

Mobile

Hardware

Desk phones

Headsets

Wireless phones

Conference systems

Switches and Wi-Fi

Routers & Firewalls

Doorbells & Intercoms

All products

Cloud PBX

Voxbi Cloud PBX

Features

Microsoft Teams

Integrations

Tempus

Pricing

Downloads

Insights

3CX Innovaphone

Wildix

Emios

All Insights

Connectivity

Internet in Luxembourg

Internet in Belgium

Internet in France

Internet in Germany

Internet add-ons

Mobile connectivity

Service Level Agreements

Network and IT

Co-managed LAN

IT services

Cybersecurity

IPTV

Mixvoip

Contact us

About us

Events

Career

Support

Maintenance updates

Newsletter

Resources

Blog

Certification levels

Partner program

Our accreditations

FAQs