GlobalConnect has launched a Nordic Digital Infrastructure Project to facilitate the establishment of the next global data center region. The company's new fiber routes aim to attract substantial foreign investments to the Nordics.
After completing the largest Nordic digital infrastructure project in a decade – a super fiber cable between Luleå and Berlin connecting Mainland Europe with the Nordics – GlobalConnect is now embarking on the next phase of expanding and future-proofing its digital infrastructure. This network expansion aims to meet the surging demand for data capacity, partly driven by the expansion of AI, and to accommodate the Nordics' emergence as the new global hotspot for data centers.
Everyone wants to be in the Nordics
GlobalConnect plans to significantly upgrade and expand its fiber network with new land and sea cables over the coming years. The Greater Helsinki Metropolitan area will be the first to be connected to several new fiber routes, totaling approximately 260 km of new fiber network. This project has synergies to GlobalConnect’s ongoing 500MEUR fiber rollout in Finland.
"There's an ongoing demand for data centers, and everyone wants to be in the Nordics. Our region is rapidly becoming the new global hotspot, and Finland is no exception. More than half of the global data center investments in Europe are expected to flow into the Nordics in the coming years. As GlobalConnect is the only digital infrastructure provider operating its own infrastructure in the Nordics and Northern Germany, we have a crucial role to play in supporting and extending the data center boom for decades to come," Martin Lippert, GlobalConnect Group CEO, states.
More than 3,000 km new fiber
The expanded network in Finland primarily addresses the significant demand for establishing data centers. It will also provide fiber access for Finnish households and enhance capacity and redundancy for municipalities and businesses striving to continue their rapid digitalization efforts. Excavation work is planned to commence in Espoo in April.
With Nordic data center investments growing significantly – an estimated 20% annual growth – GlobalConnect aims to build more than 3,000 km of new fiber in the coming years. New routes will extend to markets such as the Baltics, where similar digital infrastructure is currently lacking. Furthermore, the existing network will be enhanced and expanded to central Europe (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris), which has served as the leading global data center region for years.
Diverse routes, higher capacity, enhanced robustness
Coupled with the current geopolitical landscape, the demand for additional entry and exit points from the region has increased significantly. The provision of more routes offers the flexibility to reroute traffic, thereby enhancing the region's security.
"The Nordics offer natural cooling, access to green energy, and a robust digital infrastructure today. However, the current infrastructure will not meet future demand. Global tech companies are seeking diverse routes, higher capacity, and enhanced robustness. This requires substantial investments. We are exploring new land routes, sea cables, reinforced existing routes, and significant capacity, robustness, and redundancy enhancements across the Nordics. We are committed to making the necessary investments to strengthen our position as the preferred partner for global tech companies seeking to establish data centers in the Nordics," Lippert emphasizes.
