Updated at 11.52am: Kerry Properties has just spun off a new unit, Beijing Kerry Datalinks and has launched its first Internet Data Centre (IDC) on the mainland.
The new company is located in the Beijing Kerry Centre and works in co-operation with China Netcom.
The US$3 million IDC venture is expected to become part of an 'intelligent building' drive, because it will house the latest in hi-tech link-ups. While this is still a novel idea on the mainland, it is becoming an integral part of high-end office buildings in other parts of the world, Beijing Kerry Datalinks general manager Kang Weiguo explained.
According to Mr Kang, the IDC system gives tenants reliable and high-speed direct access to the Internet because ''it is different from the standard phone access''.
Mr Kang said that Kerry Datalinks' role was to provide bandwidth redistribution and technical support because the company can not get involved in telecom services on the mainland, according to government rules.
He said the firm was planning to team up with other mainland telecom carriers like China Telecom and China Unicom to develop 'a bandwidth market' in the near future to give multiple Internet access choices for their clients.
