In line with its global strategy of forging strategic partnerships with leading companies worldwide, EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC, a leading provider of digital infrastructure, has announced the establishment of a joint venture company with Vodafone to build a cutting-edge data center in Izmir, Türkiye, with an estimated investment of $100 million. Scheduled for completion in 2025 with a capacity of 6 megawatts, the new data center reflects Vodafone’s vision to pioneer Türkiye’s digital transformation and underscores the company’s commitment to investing in both the sector and the country’s future.
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Aqil Ali, vice chairman and board member of EDGNEX Data Centres by DAMAC, and Engin Aksoy, CEO of Vodafone Türkiye, attended the press conference in Istanbul for the Vodafone Izmir Data Center project.
Aqil Ali stated: “Our joint venture with Vodafone is a significant milestone for DAMAC, providing essential digital infrastructure for the growing market on Turkey’s western coast. The Eastern Mediterranean region has a high demand for data centers, making Izmir, one of the largest and oldest cities in Turkey, an ideal location to meet this need. Our goal is to build global strategic partnerships that will have a major effect on local digital economies, and the collaboration with Vodafone will result in a top-notch facility in a constantly evolving market.”
Vodafone’s contribution to Türkiye’s GDP
Engin Aksoy spoke at the press conference and remarked: “Vodafone holds a significant position in the investment landscape of our country. Our role in the Turkish economy is important as a key player. The real value of our investments over the span of 17 years has exceeded TL 157,6 billion. The Vodafone ecosystem made a significant contribution of TL 68 billion to Turkey’s GDP during the fiscal year of 2022-23. Over the next five years, our plan is to grow exponentially with investments in Data Center, Cloud Solutions, Cyber Security, Mobile Private Network, and IoT. Also, the cloud computing market is projected to hit 947,3 billion dollars by 2026. We believe that Turkey should take part in this rising economy. In addition, it remains crucial to invest in reliable and high-capacity data centers for cloud computing.”
Additionally, he added: “Taking this into consideration, we collaborated with DAMAC to build a new data center in Turkey, and established a joint venture. Our goal through this strategic partnership is to develop data center facilities in both Turkey and international markets. Additionally, the data center we are set to build in Izmir will be our primary joint project. We expect the total investment amount to reach $100 million. Moreover, the data center will be a major milestone in our technology investments. Vodafone will continue to leverage its global experience and local capabilities to contribute to the sustainable growth of our country.”
Designed to meet Tier 3 standards
The data center will incorporate the latest technology and meet Tier 3 standards. The data center industry recognizes Tier 3 data centers as those equipped with state-of-the-art features, guaranteeing 99.982 percent uptime, full redundancy, and fault tolerance. It has been designed to meet the earthquake resistance standards, and the Tier 3 standards, equipped with redundant infrastructure capacity, including a reliable cooling system, computing systems, and a technology center that can be maintained while operating. The data center will have a green energy component and will be powered substantially by green energy sources.
Strategical position
Izmir is situated in proximity to numerous submarine cable transit hubs, offering connectivity to Europe, Africa, and Asia. By its strategic position, the ongoing development of submarine cables in this region is highly appealing to internet exchange points and content delivery network (CDN) providers. Moreover, the submarine cable system is set to establish a connection between Türkiye and Greece, bridging the cities of Izmir, Athens, and Crete. This will provide data center customers access with low latency through redundant connection routes.
One-stop shop
Furthermore, the new data center will offer end-to-end services to customers through ecosystem. The data center, planned a carrier-independent facility, will be the top choice for customers of all segments. The new data center will serve as a “one-stop-shop” for the region, connecting to Europe through both terresterial and submarine cables. It will serve specifically to content creators, wholesale service providers, and businesses in need of disaster recovery center services. This will be a key factor in customers’ decision to choose the center. The new development will be a vital hub for both OTT and hyperscaler segment. This segment will have the option to access data center services via an alternative geographical route.
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