The Telehouse Internet Exchange, or TIX, was started in late 1999, after a need was identified for a suitable and widely accepted neutral internet exchange in the German speaking part of Switzerland at that time. After its launch, TIX grew at a phenomenal rate in both members and traffic volume. By 2000, TIX had outgrown the two Catalyst 2924XL Ethernet switches and they have now been replaced with a Foundry BigIron 8000 Gigabit Ethernet switch capable of switching 250 gigabits per second.