Equinix has announced it intends to open its first data centre in Bordeaux, France, in Q3 2021. With direct fibre links to Equinix’s International Business Exchange (IBX) sites in Paris, this new facility-named BX1-will provide global businesses and local authorities located in New Aquitaine with the ability to connect directly and securely to the world’s digital economy, via comprehensive digital ecosystems.
Increasing connectivity opportunities further, BX1 will provide a landing hub for the new submarine cable, AMITIE, due to link France to the United States and Great Britain, creating a new European gateway for data traffic between the United States and Europe.
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the true importance of digital technology. From telecommuting, to increased automation and collaboration, technological innovation has made it possible to comply with restrictions, but also to capture new opportunities.
Indeed, Digital Transformation is reshaping industries worldwide. According to the World Economic Forum, digital will account for 60% of global GDP by 2022, and it is estimated that 70% of the new value created over the next decade will be based on digital platforms. However, this development is dependent on the ability to process data and create synergies between companies within physical infrastructures, located as close as possible to users.
Strategically located in the southwest of France, near the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux is establishing itself as a new hub on the map of global connectivity. A pioneer of the Smart City concept, Bordeaux has attracted a high concentration of start-ups and is home to cutting-edge industries such as aerospace and optics photonics. The city is also home to a growing business community of global and local companies that require low latency, increased bandwidth and strong connectivity to major network, content and cloud services providers, to establish and grow their businesses.
BX1 further supports this growing digital hub. And by providing access to Platform Equinix, the development will offer a highly connected footprint of capabilities and services, enabling businesses to connect their core digital infrastructure around the world.
Régis Castagné, Managing Director, France, Equinix said “The development of BX1 is part of our on-going commitment to the French market, further supporting the growth of the local digital economy and Digital Transformation strategies. It is an exciting project, bringing the first Edge Computing-led data centre to the area, and also providing a connectivity hub for the AMITIE cable. By locating in Bordeaux, we are hoping to make the New Aquitaine region a model for innovation, addressing technological issues and capturing the opportunities of digital business. With fibre links to our sites in Paris, companies deploying in BX1 will have direct and secure connections to a comprehensive digital ecosystem.”
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