China Telecom Global, Daily-Tech and Global Switch sign game-changing agreement for data centre industry

A game-changing co-operation framework agreement focused on data centre construction has been signed by China Telecom Global (CTG), one of the world’s largest providers of integrated telecommunication services, Global Switch, the leading owner, developer and operator of large-scale, carrier and cloud neutral data centres in Europe and Asia Pacific, and Daily-Tech, a developer and operator of data centre infrastructure across China.

The agreement enables CTG and its partner Daily-Tech to draw on Global Switch’s already significant data centre capacity, services, development and management expertise outside China, ensuring their growing customer base continues to receive world-leading, resilient and mission critical data centre infrastructure, facilities and services as they expand into global markets.

Global Switch currently operates 10 data centres in key connectivity hubs across Europe and Asia Pacific, providing around 300,000 square metres of state of the art technical space. It currently has operations in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney.

Under the terms of the agreement, the trio of businesses will enter into various co-operation arrangements with respect to data centre facilities, including: collaboration in developing new markets, adding to Global Switch’s international footprint and capacity; joint marketing of services; one-stop service and system access; as well as data centre, network and systems integration services.

For all of the companies involved, this agreement provides a transformative platform from which to drive ongoing growth and expansion. CTG and Daily-Tech are boosting their competitiveness by ensuring secure and quality data centre capacity for customers on an international scale, while Global Switch has an opportunity to support and help grow CTG’s extensive customer base worldwide, but remains a large-scale, carrier and cloud neutral, multi-tenant data centre provider.

The global and substantive nature of the arrangement also reaffirms a commitment from three leading and experienced businesses, to play an important role in delivering China’s Belt and Road initiative, by underpinning the international expansion of Chinese companies.

The agreement was officially signed in Hong Kong on 25 April 2017 in a ceremony attended by: Deng Xiaofeng, Chief Executive Officer of China Telecom Global; Li Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of Daily-Tech; and, John Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer of Global Switch. Simon and David Reuben, Directors and long-term core shareholders in Global Switch, were also present at the ceremony, reflecting the importance of the occasion for customers, the three businesses, and the wider data centre industry.

The terms of this framework agreement clearly establish the co-operation intentions of the three companies involved. Going forward, each business will negotiate the appropriate details and form of co-operation for specific agreements that they enter into.

At the signing ceremony, Deng Xiaofeng, Chief Executive Officer of CTG, said: “We are delighted to enter into this worldwide relationship with two of the data centre industry’s leading providers. This pioneering and important agreement will ensure our customers receive quality and secure data centre infrastructure, facilities and services as they expand internationally, as well as boosting CTG’s competitiveness in new markets. We are also pleased to be taking another significant step forward in delivering against the objectives of China’s Belt and Road initiative.”

Li Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of Daily-Tech, added: “This is an innovative, enabling and global cooperation agreement between three large-scale businesses with significant experience. It will offer new and secure growth opportunities to our strategic customers, and reaffirms our collaborative approach towards overseas expansion, by finding and sharing opportunities with mutual benefits. Ultimately, we aspire to serve more Chinese and international customers by working together.”

John Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer of Global Switch, said: “The signing of this agreement is a testament to Global Switch’s considerable strength, experience and reliability as an international, large-scale, carrier and cloud neutral data centre owner, developer and operator. It represents another core building block in our future growth strategy, and is a further demonstration of the springboard and connectivity we can offer to companies seeking to expand within a secure, professionally managed and world class environment.”