Manchester is the UK’s second-largest city and according to the company 'occupies a key strategic location at the intersection of the UK’s highly resilient “figure-of-eight” fibre-optic network'. It is also home to low-latency connectivity through network routes to the US and has access to international subsea cables via Ireland and the West of England.
“With a rich industrial history, Manchester has long been one of the UK’s leading cities for business, catering to globally renowned companies and start-ups looking to grow and scale their operations," said Lorraine Wilkinson, vice president of sales - UK at Equinix.
"MA5 will provide high-speed connectivity to the North of England, facilitating the next generation of digital transformation within the region. The new site will bring Equinix’s total investment in Manchester to over £130 million, and £1 billion+ in the UK’s digital infrastructure as a whole.”
Once live, the new IBX - called MA5 - will be Equinix's fifth data centre in the Greater Manchester area and is due to be completed in Q2 2022.
Specifically, MA5 has been designed for high density deployments to support digital transformation projects across industries. In addition, it will offer colocation, interconnection and edge services, including Equinix Fabric, Equinix Internet Exchange and Network Edge nodes, positioning MA5 as a new interconnection hub and remote geo-redundant deployment location for London.
“This new investment is a significant addition to our existing portfolio in the UK," said Russell Poole (pictured), managing director – UK at Equinix.
"The site will cater to the growing number of enterprises—both regionally and internationally—that require ultra-low-latency connectivity to remain competitive. MA5 forms part of a wider investment in the UK’s digital infrastructure, and further cements Britain’s position as one of the most important markets globally to do business.”
To be built in stages, the Phase 1 build will provide 3,600 m2 colocation space. Upon completion of all planned phases, the full site is expected to provide 6,480 m2 of colocation space, with 2,000 cabinets.
Additionally, MA5 will have excellent connectivity to the MA1/MA4 Campus, MA3, and Equinix’s London and Dublin IBX and xScale facilities.
“The UK is one of the world’s most digitally advanced economies. Through government and industry working together we are investing in new 5G and next-generation digital technologies to support UK businesses to build back better from the pandemic," said UK Science and Innovation Minister George Freeman.
“Equinix’s new Manchester data centre will not only help to create well-paying jobs across Manchester and the wider North West but will also make sure businesses have the digital technology needed to succeed and grow in global markets.”
