Data centre services provider and  Africa’s edge data centre leader and a West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) Group company Open Access Data Centres (OADC) is launching three new OADC Edge data centres in South Africa.

Located on national fibre routes to ensure availability of high-capacity interconnectivity, the new OADC Edge data centres will go live by the end of September in East London, George and Paarl.

“These new edge data centres represent a further stage in the deployment of OADC’s unique and expanding, core-to-edge data centre architecture, which is consolidating edge computing, edge data centres and hyperscale connectivity within a single ecosystem, OADC Edge,” says OADC CEO Dr Ayotunde Coker.

“We are continuing our OADC Edge expansion to more of South Africa’s business hubs to meet the demands of fifth-generation operators, Internet service providers and fibre operators for support in extending network reach into even more locations.”

The group has nearly 30 Edge facilities now operational, with intentions to deploy the data centres to more countries in the new year.

The OADC Edge architecture enables clients to cost-effectively and rapidly deploy high-quality, low-latency network infrastructure and expand coverage into new markets, while minimising latency with content served near point of use, optimising end-user experience and underpinning the successful rollout of new, time-sensitive applications.

Further, the OADC Edge facilities are secure and power-assured, offering clients an option for off-site data storage, processing and disaster recovery.

The ability to pre-process large volumes of critical data at the edge, before forwarding to larger, regional facilities, also improves efficiency and optimises network costs by minimising backhaul network expenditure.

“Like our core data centres, OADC Edge facilities are open access and carrier-neutral – any licenced operator can bring fibre into OADC data centres at no charge to support clients’ connectivity requirements,” continues Coker.

OADC Edge data centres offer colocation, rooftop access and high-speed network interconnectivity between facilities at up to 100 Gb/s and on multiple routes for diversity.

Integral to OADC’s core-to-edge, open-access data centre offering is the launch of core data centres in each of the country’s major connectivity hubs, supplementing its nationwide rollout of more than one hundred 0.5 MW OADC Edge data centres.

New 2 MW to 3 MW, Tier III OADC facilities are undergoing fit-out and will be coming online before the end of the year in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“In totality, this represents the largest – and most rapid – deployment of open-access data centres on the continent.”