French broadcast infrastructure firm TDF has launched a data center in French Polynesia.

The company last week announced the opening of its data center at the Pic Rouge area of the capital, Papeete.

Specifications weren’t shared, but the site is described as smaller than its other data centers, the smallest of which has 110 racks.

The new facility “meets the growing demand for sovereign and high-performance digital services in French Polynesia,” according to TDF. The Bank of Polynesia, a subsidiary of Société Générale, and Axians Polynesia have been named as customers.

The facility was delivered in June 2025. it is housed within a former TDF building previously dedicated to broadcasting television, radio, and telecom hosting that has been repurposed.

“This data center embodies our concrete commitment to meet the crucial needs of digital sovereignty and proximity expressed by the ultramarine territories. It is fully in line with our global digital development strategy, particularly in overseas, where ensuring access to reliable and secure IT infrastructure is a major challenge to support the growth and resilience of local authorities,” said Rémi de Montgolfier, TDF’s Edge data centers director.

The new data center features a heat recovery system, and by the end of 2025, the building’s roof will be equipped with photovoltaic panels. An expansion phase is already planned for 2026.

TDF has been present in French Polynesia since the 1980s, when television was first deployed on the archipelago. The Papeete facility is the fifth-largest data center of TDF, which also operates five data centers on the mainland of France.

Christophe Sobczyk, territorial director Pacific at TDF, added: “The opening of the data center at the Pic Rouge represents a major step forward for French Polynesia. It demonstrates our desire at TDF to actively support the digital transformation of ultramarine territories by offering high-performance infrastructure, secure and perfectly adapted to local specificities. This ambitious project illustrates our long-term commitment to Polynesian companies and communities, thus strengthening the region’s digital sovereignty while ensuring optimal resilience to environmental challenges.”

French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, comprises more than 100 islands in the South Pacific, stretching for more than 2,000km (1,242 miles).

In addition to several domestic cables connecting the various islands, French Polynesia serves as the landing point for several cables linking it to nearby Pacific islands, including Hawaii, Samoa, and the Cook Islands.

Google is set to land several trans-Pacific cables (Halaihai, Honomoana, Humboldt, and Bulikula) in French Polynesia. BW’s Hawaiki Nui cable could also land there.

According to Data Center Map, French Polynesia has one data center operated by Tahiti Nui Telecom Co. subsidiary, Tahiti Nui Fortress (both are ultimately owned by the state-controlled OPT post office group).

TDF expands data center footprint

Founded in 1975, TDF (Télédiffusion de France) is a French company that provides radio and television transmission services. Formed after the breakup of state broadcaster ORTF, TDF inherited ORTF’s transmitter network and other technical assets. Today, the firm says it has more than 8,800 sites across its network. Its offerings include towers, private networks, indoor mobile, data centers, and TV and radio services.

The company has facilities in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Marseille, and Rennes, according to its website, as well as more than 100 operational Edge data centers, and a “fleet of eligible sites on French territory” for potential development. It also operates a teleport in Nantes.

The 400 sqm (4,305 sq ft), 640kW Rennes site in Cesson-Sévigné opened in 2014 and offers capacity for 140 racks. The 700 sqm (7,534 sq ft) Marseille site, also launched in 2014, offers capacity for 178 racks. The Bordeaux site in Bouliac launched in 2013 and was extended in 2018, totaling 1MW and 240 racks. The 500kW Lille site, in Lambersart, opened in 2014 and offers capacity for 110 racks.

On LinkedIn, Montgolfier recently said the company has data center sites in development in Lyon, Toulouse, and Paris.

TDF recently opened a Base Transceiver Station Hotel in Paris. The 200 sqm site allows TDF to offer a multi-operator mobile coverage service that meets all 4G/5G connectivity needs inside buildings, including office buildings. By the end of the year, a dozen buildings should be connected via this BTS Hotel, with a second site in preparation.

American Tower is reportedly in contention to acquire TDF’s tower portfolio. American Tower already has a substantial tower footprint in France, spanning 4,400 towers.

APG Asset Management, Arcus Infrastructure Partners, and Canadian pension fund PSP Investments jointly own 45 percent of TDF. Crédit Agricole Assurances has a 10 percent holding in the firm.

TDF launched a 300kWp solar system at a transmitter site in Nordheim, Germany, earlier this year.