A High Tech Data Centre Launched By Airtel In Sierra Leone
Airtel Sierra Leone has commissioned Flexenclosure to set up Airtel’s trademark eCentre solution in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown. Airtel has already signed up the multimillion dollar contract with Flexenclosure, and the latter has already commenced on constructing the eCentre in its factory based in Vara, Sweden. The construction phase of the project is expected to be complete in six months time, with the facility being up and running in Sierra Leone by then.
The eCentre will be a prefabricated, custom-designed data centre building that optimizes on energy efficiency and has the capability of fast deployment and easy expansion. Once established, the facility will provide a 385sqm space for telecom network switching centre, transmission room, staging area and IT data centre. The building will be an important additional infrastructure to the operations of Airtel Sierra Leone.
Airtel Sierra Leone, MD, Sudipto Chowdhury said, “As the leading telecommunications provider in Sierra Leone, we constantly strive to bring in the latest technology in our infrastructure development for the benefit of our customers. This new data centre fits right into this strategy. It provides fast expansion as well as activation of both new telecoms and data services to meet increasing customer demand. Once completed, the project will generate IT & Telecom awareness amongst young local engineers and technicians as well as providing opportunities for long term employment monitoring and maintain the data centre.”
Bharti Airtel International, Group Head – Real Estate and Data Center Facilities, Pradeep Vats said, “This is the first deployment of its kind on such a big scale for Airtel in Africa and Asia and will bring about a major transformation in data centre building technology and standards. The main objective to select Prefab Modular DC technology & Flexenclosure as partner for this project was to be sure of receiving the best design, quick deployment time, easy expandability and energy efficient power & cooling equipment, thus achieving both redundancy as well as a large reduction in our energy costs.
The combination of latest DC build technology by Flexenclosure in their factory and use of local material and labour for DC Utility Block in Sierra Leone, has allowed us to design the project as a unique hybrid solution which is being done probably first time by anyone in Asia & Africa. We plan to develop many more such DCs in other countries of Africa in near future to futher enhance our IT & Network Infrastructure & Services.”
Their counterpart Flexenclosure CEO, David King said, “This order is very rewarding since it is our first eCentre order from Airtel; the first ever deployment in Sierra Leone by Flexenclosure; and indeed the first ever prefabricated modular data centre in the country. This underlines our leadership in prefabricated data centres in the developing world. Sierra Leone is a logistically challenging place to deliver this kind of project in, but we have a phenomenal track record of successfully delivering in challenging environments.”
Flexenclosure is a Sweden-based specialist designer and a leading manufacturer of prefabricated data centres and hybrid power management systems. In 2011 Flexenclosure won the Best Green Technology Award by International Green Award, and in 2012, it won the GSMA Global Mobile Awards. In the same year, Sustainia acknowledged Flexenclosure eSite among the 100 most innovative solutions in promoting environmental sustainability.
