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New World-backed tech venture Turbidite enters pact with AsiaSat to expand data centre services in Hong Kong

  • Turbidite and AsiaSat will provide data centre hosting and connectivity services at the Tai Po Earth Station in the New Territories from next year
  • The two companies expect their new initiative to help boost Hong Kong’s role as a strategic regional data hub in Asia

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The Tai Po Earth Station operated by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co is located at the Tai Po Industrial Estate in the New Territories. Photo: Handout
Bien Perez
Turbidite, the tech venture backed by property giant New World Development, has partnered with Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co (AsiaSat) to deliver new data centre hosting services in Hong Kong amid growing demand across the Asia-Pacific.
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The two companies on Wednesday announced that they will provide hosting services, alongside satellite and ground-based network connectivity, from AsiaSat’s Tai Po Earth Station, located at the Tai Po Industrial Estate in the New Territories. AsiaSat, which operates a fleet of five in-orbit satellites, has 19 satellite antennas at its earth station.

“This partnership broadens our edge data centre solutions, enabling us to deliver prime space for access by our OTT/TMT customers globally,” Turbidite co-founder and chief executive Bill Barney told the South China Morning Post, referring to over-the-top online content providers as well as technology, media and telecommunications companies.

Hosting services from AsiaSat’s earth station “will be ready next year”, said Barney, who did not provide investment details. “Together with AsiaSat, we are able to further empower customers to transform into digital-ready organisations with secure access, flexible transport and bandwidth options, and real-time deployment.”

Bill Barney, co-founder and chief executive of data centre operator Turbidite. Photo: Handout
Bill Barney, co-founder and chief executive of data centre operator Turbidite. Photo: Handout
The stakes are high for Turbidite, as demand for digital infrastructure – including data centres – continues to grow across the Asia-Pacific amid the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and consumers. The region accounted for half of the US$54 billion global data centre collocation market in 2020, according to independent cloud and data centre consulting firm Structure Research.
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Data centres are secure, temperature-controlled facilities built to house large-capacity servers and data storage systems, backed by multiple power sources and high-bandwidth internet connections. These facilities are largely used to host cloud computing operations. Cloud services enable companies to buy, lease or sell software and other digital resources online, just like electricity from a power grid.

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