Chorus, a prominent network infrastructure builder, is advancing its EdgeCentre data centres in exchanges initiative by incorporating 23 additional racks into its Mt Eden facility, in collaboration with technology partner Vertiv.
Formerly housing bulky copper telco equipment, the Mt Eden exchange now accommodates more compact and eco-friendly fibre network gear, creating surplus space.
Mohammed Hadi, Chorus’ colocation product manager, noted that the Mt Eden exchange, established as a pilot build in 2015, has fully leased out every rack within the facility.
Vertiv has recently introduced a hot aisle containment system spanning 23 racks, with power capacities ranging from 50 to 250 kilowatts.
In contrast to Chorus’ government-backed Ultra-Fast Fibre network, which is subject to regulatory oversight, the EdgeCentre data centre business operates in an unregulated space.
Spokesperson Steve Pettigrew, as reported by interest.co.nz, stated that the EdgeCentre business is the fastest-growing in the Chorus colocation portfolio, ranking third in revenue behind exchange space and wireless colocation.
Chorus boasts nearly 600 telephone exchanges nationwide and is exploring avenues to offer EdgeCentre services through retail service providers (RSPs) in rural New Zealand.
Clients can select from full and half racks or individual rack units within the data centres, with a consumption-based pricing model ensuring customers only pay for the electricity they consume.
Currently available in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, and Christchurch, Chorus is considering the addition of a second Auckland location based on industry feedback.
Pettigrew clarified that while EdgeCentre data centres have relatively modest power capacities, they aren’t positioned to rival major cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
Instead, Chorus aims to complement hyperscalers by providing regional, localised services to their end-users, leveraging its network infrastructure to offer a unique value proposition.
As Chorus continues phasing out legacy copper services, the efficiency of fibre enables the repurposing of space for modular data centres nationwide.
Extending EdgeCentre into regional markets aligns with the hybrid cloud trend, akin to Amazon’s Outpost family of products, which deliver public cloud services from Chorus’ secure facilities.