True to boost data centre capacity for cloud services

True Internet Data Center Co, a subsidiary of True Corporation, is spending 1.1 billion baht to double its data centre capacity to serve the national data centre project and higher demand for cloud services.

Three data centres, at True Tower on Ratchadaphisek Road, Muang Thong Thani and a new site in eastern Bangkok, will have combined space of 3,000 square metres.

“We foresee growing adoption of local cloud services in the next year or two thanks to better awareness and faster high-speed broadband,” said Thanasorn Jaidee, general manager of True Internet Data Center.

The company is already registered with the Electronic Government Agency (EGA) to participate in the national data centre project under the country’s digital economy initiative.

To serve the needs of local cloud services, it is collaborating with Google to launch the True IDC Chromebook, a new type of notebook powered by the Google Chrome operating system under the True IDC brand for the first time.

The Chromebook is designed as a cloudbased device for users to access cloud service easily and is an alternative to a normal notebook. Priced from 8,990 baht, they can be bought at www.itruemart.com.

The company will also use its True business team and systems integration partners to approach both big and small enterprises as well as the education sector.

“Roll-out of the Chromebook will fulfil user needs for access devices and stimulate the use of cloud-based service,” Mr Thanasorn said. “True expects to sell 50,000 Chromebooks this year.”

The company expects corporations will adopt the Infrastructure as a Service cloudservice model, while SMEs will go for Software as a Service.

He expects company revenue to grow by 50% to 750 million baht this year. Of that figure, the contribution from cloud-based service will grow by 100-150% from 100 million baht last year, a faster rate than data centre service.

The company annual revenue will double to 1.5 billion baht in 2017, with cloud service accounting for half the total.