Global Cloud Xchange (GCX) is a company which provides network services for enterprises, new media providers and telecoms carriers.[1] In September 2022, it was acquired by3i Infrastructure for $512 million.[2]
Global Cloud Xchange was formed as part of the rebranding of certain businesses of RGBV, which includesFLAG Telecom Group Limited ("FLAG"), Reliance Vanco Group Limited ("Vanco") and Yipes Holdings, Inc. ("Yipes").[5][6][7]
In 2003, the Reliance Group was acquired. In 2008, renamedFLAG as Reliance Globalcom Limited ("RGL").[8] RGL owns and operates various undersea and terrestrial fiber assets around the world, including theFEA cable system linkingEurope toAsia via theMiddle East andIndia. Before being acquired by Reliance Group, FLAG was listed on theNASDAQ National Market andLondon Stock Exchange. FLAG was first established in 1993 by a group of telecommunications companies led by Bell Atlantic.
In 2007, RGL acquired Yipes through one of RGL's wholly owned subsidiaries.[9][10] Yipes is a US-basedEthernet Service provider which providesEthernet and application delivery services for global enterprises. Established in 1999, Yipes has pioneered theEthernet technology in metropolitan areanetworks.
In 2008, RGL acquired Vanco through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries.[11][12] Vanco is a globalWide Area Network Operator. Vanco provides enterprise clients, directly or through partners, with optimized fully managed network solutions. Vanco was established in 1988 and its original parent company, Vanco plc, was listed on theLondon Stock Exchange before it was acquired by RGL.
In 2011, Reliance Globalcom set up world's first global Mediterranean gateway and hub in Europe set up with Hawk cable system.[13][14][15]
In April 2013, Reliance Globalcom integrated Hawk cable system with Reliance Global Network.[16][17] Later in December, it upgradedTrans-Atlantic cable with 100G technology.[18][19]
In March 2014, RGL rebranded as Global Cloud Xchange (GCX) under the leadership of CEO, Bill Barney, to align with the company's strategic plan to deliver an integrated portfolio of infrastructure,data center and managed network services withcloud capabilities, especially across keyemerging markets inAsia and theMiddle East.[20][21]
In March and June 2014, GCX announced plans for new subsea cables betweenTokyo andCalifornia[22][23] and betweenMumbai andSingapore[24][25] respectively, to bridge important gap and meet soaring bandwidth demands of newcloud-based applications and services.
In July 2014, GCX announced successful debut in theGlobal Capital Market by raising US$350M fixed rate notes maturing in 2019. The deal received an overwhelming response from the market, and was significantly oversubscribed.[26][27]
In October and December 2014, GCX launched transformational Cloud X platform inHong Kong[28][29] andLondon.[30][31] This new high performance enterprise-class platform delivers applications and content across the company's privately owned global fiber optic network.
In March 2015,Reliance Communications (RCOM), the parent company of GCX, expanded the role of Bill Barney, CEO of Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), to also oversee RCOM's Enterprise, IDC and National Long Distance (NLD) operations in India, while continuing as chairman and CEO of GCX.[32][33]
In 2015, GCX launched Cloud X Fusion,[34][35][36] providing lowlatency connectivity across developed andemerging markets in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia, which gives enterprises security, reliability and predictability.
In July 2015,Reliance Communications (RCOM) expanded its next generation content and cloud delivery network – part of its subsidiary Global Cloud Xchange – to five additional cities inDelhi,Mumbai,Chennai,Bangalore andHyderabad as part of a wider strategy to support future growth in the country.[37][38][39] These Cloud Xchangenodes can help government departments access 240 times the amount of compute power currently available in governmentdata centers, and over six times the high speed storage currently available inIndia.
In August 2015, Reliance Communications' Global Cloud Xchange to expand Singapore-India connectivity,[40][41] a major step forward to deliver next generation connectivity services to support thedigital transformation and economic growth ofIndia.[citation needed]
In May 2016, Global Cloud Xchange was named Best Managed Services Provider at the Telecom Asia Awards held in conjunction with the annual Telco Strategies inKuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[45][46][47]
In June 2017, Global Cloud Xchange partnered with Aegis Data, vScaler. GCX enables direct access to vScaler's Cloud Services platform via GCX'sCLOUD X Fusion, delivering Next Generation application-specific Cloud Services to consumers and enterprises over the GCX Global Network.[49]
In June 2017, Global Cloud Xchange won two Datacloud Awards. "Excellence in Connectivity for Data Centers" and "Excellence inCloud Services" at the Datacloud Europe 2017 conference.[50]
Also in June 2017, Global Cloud Xchange partnered with Sovereign to offer globalconnectivity to businessenterprise customers.[51]
In September 2019, the company filed forbankruptcy protection in a US court when it failed to pay $350 million of 7% bonds that matured in the beginning of August, 2019.[52]
In February 2020, Global Cloud Xchange renewed multi-year contract with Autoneum, to enhance Autoneum's Internet infrastructure with enhanced connectivity to 55 production locations across 25 countries in Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia.[53]
Global Cloud Xchange Announces Majority Emergence from Bankruptcy[54]
GCX announces the appointment of Carl Grivner to the company's Board of Directors[55]
SGS Extends Network Connectivity Agreement with Managed SD-WAN from Global Cloud Xchange[56]
GCX appoints new Chief Financial Officer, Anja Blumert[57]
GCX announces an addition to the company's board of directors; Brian Fitzpatrick[58]
Carl Grivner appointed chief executive officer of GCX[59]
GCX announces the appointment of Rahul N. Merchant to its board of directors[60]
In May 2021, GCX announced key findings from a Pioneer Consulting report evaluating the service life of its global subsea asset. The evaluation concluded at least five more years on GCX's oldest operating systems, plus longer life at increased capacity available for the foreseeable future.
In July 2021, GCX reported Free Cash Flow of $24.9 million, representing an $82.7 million improvement year-on-year, enabling the business to paydown nearly $10.5 million in debt. The combination of strong cash flow and deleveraging the business allows GCX to continue reinvesting toward future growth.
The principal elements of the Global Cloud Xchange Global Network include five subsea cable systems operating on major global data traffic routes: theTrans-Atlantic route, the Europe-Asia route, the Europe-Middle East andEgypt route and the Intra-Asia route.[61][62]
As of 30 June 2014, these cable systems had a total length of 68,698 route kilometres ("rkm")[63] and landed at 46 landing stations in 27 countries. GCX has launched India Cloud Xchange (ICX) through capacity acquired on the TIC cable to boost its connectivity between India and Singapore.[64][65]
GCX has owned as well as leased terrestrial networks with a total length of 83,432 rkm integrated within the subsea cable system. These are present in over 34metropolitan areas across 14 countries covering major business centres. GCX also has a scalable global IP andmulti-protocol label switching ("MPLS") network provided over 27 diverse owned and leased international subsea and terrestrial cable routes, with 836 direct inter-connections to 342 third party networks.[66][67]
GCX's managed network services platform connects approximately 27,000 sites in 158 countries through a combination of leased and owned infrastructure offered through a dedicated secureIP network. Two GNOCs inDenver andMumbai act as the global network operational centres of the GCX Global Network, the functions of which include 24-hour monitoring, network operations, restoration coordination and technical support.[68]
^Wallbank, Paul (16 February 2016)."Telcos shifting up the stack".Decoding the new economy.Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved4 August 2016.
