Anittel Set to Build Regional Data Centre Complex in Townsville
Australian ICT company Anittel has entered into an exclusive dealing agreement with James Cook University (JCU) to build a custom data centre that will bring cloud services to Northern Queensland and expand the reseller's national carrier network and hosted solutions.
- (1888PressRelease) February 01, 2013 - Anittel Group Limited (ASX: 'AYG'- 'Anittel' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive Dealing Agreement with James Cook University (JCU) for the commercialisation and development of its Tropical Knowledge & Innovation Centre (TKIC). The proposed multi story data centre facility will be the largest of its kind in Northern Queensland (NQ). The new centre will form part of JCU's $1billion Discovery Rise re-development. It will set a new benchmark for regional technology access in Townsville and NQ.
Following a recent research project conducted by Townsville Enterprise Limited, it was identified that there was significant commercial interest and community benefit in a local data centre complex. The purposely built facility on the grounds of JCU will provide a world class data centre facility, business incubation and collaboration centre. By locally delivering world class cloud computing, communication services and support, the TKIC will provide significant benefits for JCU, the NQ economy, regional ICT job opportunities and the business community.
Anittel Managing Director & Executive Chairman Peter Kazacos commented "This project presents an amazing opportunity to support the Northern Queensland community and encourage the growth of Australian cloud technology services. With ICT jobs increasingly moving offshore, this development will help secure ICT opportunities here in regional Australia."
Anittel will work collaboratively with JCU, the local community and interested stakeholders to finalise the TKIC development proposal over the next 6 months. The collaboration will ensure that Townsville and the NQ community take advantage of this unique opportunity to be at the forefront of the cloud computing technology revolution. In the interim, a staged development is set to provide value to all stakeholders and revenue to Anittel from day 1. This staged methodology will deliver a temporary solution using a Modular Data Centre facility in 2013, while design and planning permissions are placed for the purpose built multistorey complex.
James Cook University's Executive Director, Finance and Resource Planning, Mrs Tricia Brand, said that the Data Centre Complex would not only be a welcome addition to the University's facilities but also a further contribution to the economic development of northern Queensland. "It fits well with our Discovery Rise strategy to create a sustainable community where people and knowledge based business can thrive," Mrs Brand said. Discovery Rise is a 20-year, $1 billion project, launched in 2008 to develop an academic, residential and commercial community, based on the University's Townsville campus.
Scott Spaulding, Anittel Northern Queensland Regional Manager commented "It is very exciting to be part of this project that will transform ICT opportunities in Northern Queensland. As Townsville is a major city of QLD, it is important that the city and its university have this type of infrastructure to enable them to be competitive both nationally and globally."
Once complete the centre will also form part of Anittel's National Private Carrier Network and Hosted Infrastructure System. The centre will extend cloud technology resources and benefits directly to the Northern Queensland business community. Businesses will access world class cloud services and have the opportunity to utilise infrastructure in the complex. Townsville businesses being connected to the NBN will have the opportunity to transform the way they do business by combining the new high speed connectivity to the cloud resources this facility will provide. In addition the centre will provide business incubation services, giving innovative start-up organisations the opportunity to assess critical angel investment resources.
David McGill, Anittel Regional Manager commented that he is proud to have been part of the team working with JCU - the process to select Anittel was robust and won on our ability to develop immediate and long term solutions to meet all stakeholder requirements. The final commercial agreement will focus on enhancing opportunities for JCU, Townsville and the broader Northern Queensland region whilst delivering World class cost effective Cloud services to Australian businesses, said McGill.
The exclusive Dealing Agreement continues Anittel's regional development strategy. The Company is now engaging with other regional communities to develop similar ICT models, ensuring that they can benefit from current ICT transformations and shift to cloud computing.
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