Unicom, Alibaba to expand collaboration in cloud computing services in China
The plan marks the first cooperative venture with a strategic investor after the partial privatisation of Unicom’s Shanghai-listed parent
China Unicom, the world’s sixth-largest mobile network operator by number of subscribers, and e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group Holding plan to ramp up their collaboration in cloud computing services.
“This represents the first major business cooperation with a strategic investor after China Unicom’s mixed-ownership reform plan was approved,” said the telecommunications operator in a statement on Monday.
Cloud services enable companies to buy, lease or sell software and other online digital resources on demand, just like electricity from a power grid.
These operations are hosted in data centres, which are secure, temperature-controlled facilities that house large-capacity servers and data storage systems, and are equipped with multiple power sources and high-bandwidth internet connections.