Plans for region first announced in 2021
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a new cloud region in New Zealand.
Dubbed the AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region, it consists of three availability zones.
AWS first announced plans for the region in 2021, at the time aiming to launch in 2024. The Overseas Investment Office granted AWS permission for the project in April 2022, at the time stating it would be based in Auckland.
AWS has previously said it would invest around NZ$7.5 billion (US$5.3 billion) in its cloud operations and infrastructure in the country.
Previous reports suggest that the delayed launch date was due to construction quietly stalling, with issues with stormwater design and a small fire on the construction site of the first data center possibly contributing to this.
"The new AWS Region in New Zealand will help serve the growing demand for cloud services across the country and empower organizations of all sizes to accelerate their digital transformation," said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president of Infrastructure Services at AWS.
"With this launch, businesses can now leverage advanced AWS technologies, from core cloud capabilities to artificial intelligence and machine learning, all while meeting local data residency requirements. By investing in New Zealand's digital infrastructure, we're proud to support the country's economic growth, foster innovation, and help position it as a technology hub in the Asia Pacific region."
Early customers of the region include AMP New Zealand, AsureQuality, Contact Energy, Education Perfect, Foodstuffs South Island, Halter, Kiwibank, MATTR, Mercury NZ, Les Mills, Ministry of Transport, Mitre 10 New Zealand, New Zealand Post, One New Zealand, Sharesies, Steel & Tube Holdings, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, TradeMe, TVNZ, University of Auckland, Vector, Wellington City Council, Xero, and more.
Prior to announcing plans for a region in the country, AWS invested in subsea cable connections for New Zealand to improve network reliability for future customers. In 2020, the cloud giant launched two Amazon CloudFront Edge locations in Auckland, expanding to include both an AWS Direct Connect location and a Local Zone in 2023.
In 2023, AWS signed a wind PPA in New Zealand with Mercury to procure half the output from the 103MW Turitea South onshore wind farm. This will be used to power the cloud region.
Microsoft launched a cloud region in New Zealand in late 2024. The company announced plans to develop a data center region in New Zealand in May 2020, receiving approval in September of that year. In 2022, the company revealed that the cloud region would be powered by 100 percent renewable energy, later signing a 51MW geothermal PPA with Contact Energy.
This year so far has seen AWS launching new cloud regions in Mexico, Taiwan, and Thailand. In May, it announced plans for another in Chile.
Source: DCD
