How local data centers reduce latency

We’ve all been there: a webpage that takes just a little too long to load, or a video that pauses to buffer at the most inconvenient time. Behind these small delays lies something invisible but impactful: latency. It’s the fraction of time it takes for data to travel across a network. While it may only last a few milliseconds, it can still affect how users experience digital services.

As expectations for seamless digital performance rise, reducing latency isn’t just a technical concern. It’s a business priority. One way companies address this is by bringing infrastructure closer to their users through local data centers.

This article explains what latency is, why the difference between high and low latency matters, how geography influences performance, and what role global versus local data centers play.

What is latency and why does it matter?

Whenever data travels across a network, there is always a small delay. This phenomenon is called latency. It refers to the time it takes for information to move from one point to another. Latency can never be completely eliminated, as it is an inherent part of digital communication. The key difference lies in whether latency is high or low.

• High latency makes digital services feel slow: apps respond sluggishly, videos buffer, or cloud services don’t load smoothly.
• Low latency creates a fluid experience, where interactions feel instantaneous.

The difference may be measured in milliseconds, but its impact is tangible. In financial trading, healthcare imaging, or online gaming, low latency is not just a convenience, it is a strategic advantage.

Global vs. local data centers

A major factor in latency is geography. The farther data must travel, the longer the delay. Even with modern high-speed fibre networks, signals moving across continents accumulate extra milliseconds. For example, a user in Belgium connecting to a server in the U.S. may face a delay of 100 to 150 milliseconds.

For some applications this is acceptable, but for time-sensitive services it can influence performance. That is why many organisations are bringing infrastructure closer to their users through regional or local data centers. Shorter physical distance translates directly into shorter response times.

A familiar example is Netflix. The streaming giant stores popular content inside local ISP networks. For users, this means streaming from servers just a few kilometres away, instead of across the Atlantic. A difference that virtually eliminates buffering.

By moving resources closer to end users, companies reduce latency, meet regulatory requirements, and improve overall user experience.

The sustainability dilemma of edge data centers

Pursuing lower latency through distributed infrastructure, often called edge computing, means placing smaller data centers closer to users. While edge computing boosts performance, it’s often less energy-efficient than running workloads in large, centralised data centers. That’s because hyperscale facilities are designed for operational efficiency, especially in terms of power and cooling, benefiting from:

• Ideal climates for natural cooling, such as using outside air or low ambient temperatures to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling
• Advanced cooling technologies, like liquid cooling or AI-driven airflow management, which optimize energy use when natural cooling alone is not sufficient
• Beneficial power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratings (a metric that indicates how efficiently a data center uses energy)
• Green innovations like waste-heat recycling, where excess heat is captured and repurposed

Smaller edge sites often operate with higher PUE scores and lower utilization rates compared to hyperscale facilities. This is mainly because they lack the same economies of scale: large data centers can spread cooling, power management, and infrastructure costs across a much higher volume of workloads. Local facilities, by contrast, are designed for proximity and responsiveness rather than maximum density. When underutilized, they may consume proportionally more energy per workload, which is why aligning capacity with actual demand is so important. As organizations push for lower latency, this balance between performance and sustainability has become one of the most relevant discussions in the data center industry today.

Build or partner? A strategic choice

When it comes to local infrastructure, businesses face a key choice: build their own data center or partner with a colocation provider.

Owning a facility gives full control. But that control comes at a price. Power, cooling, security, and upgrades all require constant investment. Smaller setups also miss out on economies of scale, making each unit of compute more expensive. As time passes, older infrastructure struggles to meet new efficiency standards, especially with rising pressure from EU climate goals.

Colocation avoids many of the headaches of running your own facility.

Unlike in-house server rooms, colocation data centers are built and operated as a core business, not as a side activity. This means they come with the highest standards for reliability and compliance: from obtaining the right certifications, to providing redundancy not only in power but also across multiple geographically separated sites (often more than 15 km apart), as well as robust physical security and safety measures.

For businesses, this translates into peace of mind. Instead of investing time and resources in building and maintaining infrastructure themselves, they can rely on partners whose sole focus is operating data centers. Need to expand? Just rent more rack space. Shared facilities spread costs across multiple tenants, unlocking advanced features like efficient cooling, 24/7 monitoring, and sustainability practices, which are not top of mind, nor feasible for companies.

For most organisations, the logic is simple: working with established colocation partners offers low-latency access and enterprise-grade reliability, without the cost and complexity of running everything in-house.

Brussels as a strategic, neutral hub

As organisations weigh options for data center placement, whether self-built, collocated, or cloud-based, Brussels is gaining recognition as a strategic data center location in Europe.

While traditional FLAP markets (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris) remain key, they’ve started to face limits. Years of rapid growth have led to space and expansion challenges, such as stricter permitting in Amsterdam and Frankfurt due to power grid pressure, or limited availability of suitable land near London and Paris. Brussels, by contrast, offers room to grow, without compromising on performance.

Its location is a major advantage. Within 400 km of Europe’s core hubs, Brussels sits at a crossroads of dense fibre routes. These connections enable sub-10 millisecond latency to neighbouring regions, making it ideal for regional service delivery.

For Belgian businesses, this means strong local performance and easy global reach. The city also benefits from the stability of EU regulations and a neutral geopolitical profile. Two factors increasingly valued in infrastructure planning.

Smarter infrastructure, better outcomes

Staying ahead in the digital world requires infrastructure choices that carefully balance speed, efficiency, and sustainability.

Whether built in-house or delivered through trusted partners, local data centers are becoming vital. They offer the responsiveness users expect, especially in settings where fast, reliable service matters most. For example, in financial hubs where milliseconds make a difference in trading, in healthcare settings that rely on real-time imaging and telemedicine, or in gaming and media platforms where user experience depends on instant response.

Looking ahead, it’s clear: organisations that weigh both performance and environmental impact will lead the way. After all, great infrastructure isn’t just about power and uptime. It’s about making choices that work. For business, users, and the planet.