Metronode's Shenton Park site in Perth
Metronode’s Shenton Park data centre facility in Perth is set be the landing station for Vocus Communications’ US$170 million Australia Singapore subsea telecommunications cable.
Vocus, which revealed on 28 November that building work on the Australia Singapore Cable (ASC) has passed its halfway point as the manufacturing work nears completion, inked a deal with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) in 2016 to lay the 4,600-kilometre cable.
“Once complete, the ASC will provide greater connectivity, bandwidth and reliability for business and consumers, building on Vocus’ 21,000km fibre network. We’re very pleased with the rate of progress being made on the project,” Vocus Group CEO, Geoff Horth, said.
According to Luke Mackinnon, head of Vocus International, the main cable laying will start in February next year and will continue throughout March.
“We will perform the final splice in April, enabling the commissioning to begin. That will take place in May and June, giving us a ready-for-service date soon after,” Mackinnon said.
Now, Metronode has revealed that the submarine cable system, which will link Perth to Singapore, via Jakarta, Indonesia, is set to play host to the cable’s Perth landing station, thanks to its Shenton Park data centre facility in Western Australia.
“We are delighted the cable will land at Metronode’s Shenton Park data centre, which confirms its premier location in Perth and our decision to further expand facilities to accommodate the expected growth from cloud, Government and enterprise customers,” Metronode CEO, David Yuile, said.
“It will also provide unparalleled opportunity for clients in Metronode’s facility to connect and do business with South-East Asia,” he said.
The data centre operator, which announced the opening of its second Wollongong facility in Unanderra on 21 November, is currently in the process of expanding its Shenton Park facility, with the purchase of new land near the existing site.
In July, Metronode revealed plans to spend more than $150 million in infrastructure projects in 2017, with new data halls being built in Wollongong and Sydney as well as an 8MW expansion in Melbourne for a major international customer.
