Digital infrastructure provider Equinix Inc (NASDAQ:EQIX) today announced its plans to open its first data center in Bordeaux, France. The launch is scheduled for the third quarter of 2021.

The new facility, to be named BX1, will have direct fiber links to Equinix’s International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) sites in Paris. It will provide global businesses and local authorities located in New Aquitaine with the ability to connect directly and securely to the world’s digital economy, via comprehensive digital ecosystems.

Increasing connectivity opportunities further, BX1 will provide a landing hub for the new submarine cable, AMITIE, due to link France to the United States and Great Britain, creating a new European gateway for data traffic between the United States and Europe.

Strategically located in the southwest of France, near the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux is establishing itself as a new hub on the map of global connectivity. A pioneer of the smart city concept, Bordeaux has attracted a high concentration of start-ups and is home to cutting-edge industries such as aerospace and optics photonics. The city is also home to a growing business community of global and local companies that require low latency, increased bandwidth and strong connectivity to major network, content and cloud services providers, to establish and grow their businesses.

BX1 further supports this growing digital hub. And by providing access to Platform Equinix®, the development will offer a highly connected footprint of capabilities and services, enabling businesses to connect their core digital infrastructure around the world.