Globe set to launch Philippines' largest data center for AI, hyperscalers
Carl Cruz
Telecommunications giant Globe Telecom Inc. is set to launch the country’s largest data center in the third quarter of the year, as it bolsters its network capacity to accommodate the growing demand from hyperscalers and artificial intelligence (AI).
Globe’s data center arm, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) Philippines, is in the final stages of preparing the STT Fairview 1 data center in Quezon City for service.
Designed to be a carrier-neutral and sustainable data center, the STT Fairview 1 will have a total capacity of 124 megawatts (MW), catering to high power capacity needs.
In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Carl Cruz said the data center will launch in the “next six to eight weeks,” which falls in the month of August.
Without disclosing the name, Cruz said one AI-driven hyperscaler is already preparing to utilize the infrastructure once it opens.
Hyperscalers—such as Amazon AWS, Google, and Meta—are technology companies that provide cloud and data management services which rely on data centers to operate.
With the tide slowly shifting away from traditional telco services and into AI and hyperscalers, Globe is keen on taking proactive measures to remain a major force in the industry.
“Anything that touches the digital economy or digital infrastructure, you can expect Globe will be there,” said Cruz.
In data centers, Globe is positioning itself as an attractive company for hyperscalers through STT GDC Philippines, which is a joint venture with Ayala Corp. and Singapore-based STT GDC).
Based on its website, STT GDC Philippines currently operates seven data centers in the country, with a total capacity of 150 MW.
These infrastructures are part of Globe’s ongoing overhaul of its network capacity to prepare for the continued surge of AI.
Cruz estimated that AI traffic will triple that of 4G and 5G, with a potential to further increase in terms of petabytes and data traffic going through the network.
Upgrading the network, he said, will ensure that data centers will run smoothly, meeting the demands of tech companies and AI.