Minnesota’s internet hub is a facility called Minnesota Technology Center (MTC), located in the city of Minneapolis. The MTC is a carrier-neutral data center that serves as a crucial interconnection point for internet traffic in the Upper Midwest. It is considered a part of the backbone of the internet and also the most wired building in Minnesota. Today, over 100 internet carriers connect through it to provide data services.
The MTC was established in the early 2000s by a group of local internet service providers who recognized the need for a centralized facility to exchange internet traffic. At the time, most internet traffic in the region was being routed through hubs in Chicago or Kansas City, causing latency and reliability issues for local businesses and internet users.
The MTC was designed to provide a more efficient and reliable internet infrastructure for Minnesota and the surrounding states. The facility houses a range of network service providers, including local and national internet service providers, content providers, cloud providers, and more. These providers are interconnected through high-speed fiber-optic cables, allowing them to exchange internet traffic directly, reducing latency and improving the reliability of internet connections.
The MTC is operated by a company called Cologix, which has invested heavily in expanding and upgrading the facility over the years. Today, the MTC is one of the largest carrier-neutral data centers in the Upper Midwest, spanning over 130,000 square feet and offering a range of colocation, cloud, and managed services.
The MTC’s central location in Minnesota has made it a critical hub for internet traffic in the Upper Midwest, connecting businesses and consumers across the region to the internet and to each other. The facility has played a key role in enabling the growth of the digital economy in Minnesota and beyond, providing a robust and reliable internet infrastructure that supports a range of industries, from healthcare to finance to education.
In recent years, the MTC has become increasingly important as more and more businesses move their operations online and demand for internet connectivity continues to grow. The facility has responded by expanding its services and capabilities, investing in new technology and infrastructure to meet the needs of its customers.
The Minnesota Technology Center is a vital piece of infrastructure that underpins the digital economy in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. By providing a centralized and reliable hub for internet traffic, the facility has enabled businesses and consumers across the region to access the internet and connect with each other more efficiently and effectively. As demand for internet connectivity continues to grow, the MTC is poised to play an even more critical role in the years to come, supporting innovation, economic growth, and digital transformation in Minnesota and beyond.