GUIDELINES FOR RWANDA INTERNET EXCHANGE POINT (RINEX) MANAGEMENT Rwanda Internet Exchange (RINEX) is an interconnection point of internet service providers ISPs in Rwanda. The main goal is to enable the traffic exchange locally without routing through international networks. However RINEX can also be used for routing of internet traffic between the networks in Rwanda and the peer or downstream networks of RINEX participants in other countries. RINEX serves ISPs with proper licenses, local and international Research and Education networks as well as international network services providers and Internet exchanges. In exercise of powers conferred to the Regulatory Board under the chapter 2, article 3 section 9 of the Presidential Order no 04/01 of 15/03/2004 determining specific duties of the regulatory board in telecommunications matters, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) hereby makes the following guidelines: I. DEFINITION TO TERMS AS USED IN THESE GUIDELINES 1.1 Short title, extent and commencement (1) These guidelines shall be titled as: Rwanda Internet Exchange Point guidelines or RINEX guidelines, 2009. (2) These guidelines shall be applicable to all Internet Services Providers, Telecom operators, content delivery service providers, authorized entity for RINEX Management and all other related entities on the subject. (3) This guidelines shall be into force with effect from o4 September 2009. 1.2 Definitions In these guidelines, unless the context otherwise requires: “AS number” is a unique identifier for a collection of IP networks and routers under the control of one entity. "BGP" (Border Gateway Protocol) is the core routing protocol of the internet. It maintains a table of an IP network of “prefixes” which designate network reachability among Autonomous Systems (AS). It is described as a path vector protocol. "Computer data" means any representation of facts, information or concepts in a form suitable for processing in a computer system, including a program suitable to cause a computer system to perform a function; "Computer system" means any device or a group of interconnected or related devices, one or more of which, pursuant to a program performs automatic processing of data; RINEX GUIDELINES 2009 Page 3