WSU hosts project to speed-up internet across the region

Ainsley Smyth, News Editor • May 18, 2025

Shovels and hard hats sit at the location for the Connected Nations Internet Exchange Point. Connected Nations members, local and state officials and WSU President Richard Muma broke ground on the new facility Thursday.

Wichita State will be home to Kansas’s first carrier-neutral Internet Exchange Point, intended to help speed up internet access for the region.

The Internet Exchange Point groundbreaking brought together university leaders, along with state and local officials and Connected Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to high speed internet on the new facility Thursday. It’s located on 21st St., across from Eck Stadium and is expected to be completed in 2026.

Connected Nations staff wait between posing for photos at the May 15 groundbreaking of a new internet exchange point. (Ainsley Smyth)

“This groundbreaking marks a transformative step forward for Kansas’s digital future,” Tom Ferree, Connected Nations CEO, said. “With this IXP, we’re building more than just a facility—we’re building the foundation for faster, more affordable and more secure internet across the region.”

WSU President Richard Muma praised the Internet Exchange Point as something that would benefit both the university and the surrounding community.

The project is made possible by a $5 million state grant given to Connected Nation Internet Exchange Points.

About the Contributor

Ainsley Smyth, News Editor

Ainsley Smyth is the news editor of The Sunflower. Smyth previously worked as a reporter. She is a junior pursuing a bachelor’s in communications with an emphasis in journalism and media production.