ICN Taps Into Omaha IX Peering Exchange at 1623 Farnam to Boost Statewide Reach
OMAHA, Nebraska (July 1, 2025) – 1623 Farnam, a regional leader in network-neutral edge interconnection and data center services, announces that the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) has officially joined Omaha IX, the premier Internet Exchange housed at 1623 Farnam’s carrier-neutral facility in Omaha. This strategic collaboration enhances ICN’s ability to deliver high-performance, low-latency connectivity to its authorized users throughout Iowa, including K-12 schools, higher education institutions, public safety agencies, government organizations and healthcare facilities.
By participating in Omaha IX, ICN can now peer directly with content and cloud providers geographically closer to its user base, improving network performance, efficiency and resilience across the state’s public-sector broadband initiatives.
“Having a presence at 1623 Farnam and joining the Omaha IX peering exchange provides the ICN a vast opportunity for more interconnection with our partner networks in the State of Iowa,” said Ryan Mulhall, Executive Director of the Iowa Communications Network. “With ICN as part of this new digital ecosystem, it brings more options for peering and direct connections with content and service providers where our customers’ workloads and applications live.”
For ICN, joining Omaha IX represents a strategic shift toward regional interconnection. Historically, ICN routed much of its traffic through national Internet Exchanges in Chicago and Denver. By bringing connections closer to home, ICN can now deliver improved latency, redundancy and scalability for Iowa’s critical public-sector networks — helping bridge digital divides and future-proofing services for rural and urban communities alike.
1623 Farnam, as the geographic heart of the Midwest’s connectivity ecosystem, offers a highly centralized, neutral platform for peering, cloud access and cross-carrier interconnection.
“Adding Iowa Communications Network to our growing ecosystem enhances both the reach and performance available to ICN’s public sector users throughout Iowa,” said Bill Severn, President and CEO of 1623 Farnam. “Omaha IX’s central location means that ICN can now bring its services closer to cloud, content and hyperscale providers, resulting in better performance and lower latency — ultimately benefiting students, healthcare professionals, government workers and public safety teams across the state.”
Beyond technical benefits, the partnership reflects both organizations’ shared commitment to digital inclusion. By combining ICN’s public mission with 1623 Farnam’s private infrastructure, the collaboration enables greater access to modern digital services for Iowa’s rural and underserved communities.
“The ICN has lacked presence in regional IX’s and gone straight to the national IX’s in Chicago and Denver. By moving connections closer and joining Omaha IX and Des Moines IX, ICN brings the digital world and cloud connectivity closer and closer to our customers,” adds Mulhall.
Together, ICN and 1623 Farnam are helping build a more efficient, equitable and future-ready Internet for the state of Iowa — one that empowers public institutions to serve citizens with modern digital experiences.
https://icn.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-07-01/icn-taps-omaha-ix-peering-exchange-1623-farnam-boost-statewide-reach