Alcatel-Lucent has announced the opening of a new data center in Taiwan to increase strategic engagement with service provider and enterprise customers in North Asia and China.

The data center, named the Taiwan Innovation Center, is aimed at offering service operators and enterprise network management hands-on experience with the latest Alcatel-Lucent solutions.

In addition it would allow customers to create new communications service concepts and business models through the ng Connect Program, a multi-industry connected-user experience ecosystem founded by Alcatel-Lucent.

The demo environment is supported by a comprehensive Alcatel-Lucent network environment, including:

·  a live 4G LTE network to highlight mobile ultra-broadband access

·  a fixed access network that includes 7750 service routers and 1830 PSS in the core

·  IP Platforms products including IMS, WNG, CloudBand, and Motive

·  Cloud-based service concepts from the ng Connect Program which showcase a hosted cloud data center on virtual resources managed by Alcatel-Lucent’s CloudBand and accessible via the Internet.

Alcatel said it chose Taiwan for the data center because it has become “a significant player” in the ultra-broadband market, with both fixed and mobile access predicted to reach US$13.6bn by 2018 through a nationwide fiber optic network rollout and LTE launch.

Taiwan is the 18th largest exporter in the world according to the CIA World Factbook, and is a leading maker of computers, microchips, semi-conductors and other IT equipment.

Martin Jordy, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s Asia Pacific Region, said the data center would allow customers to share ideas, gain a better understanding of The Shift Plan, the company’s strategy with IP and ultra-broadband, and to join an established ecosystem of partners via the ng Connect program. 

The Taiwan briefing data center is the fourth for Alcatel-Lucent with others in Brazil, France and the US.