SHANGHAI will establish a Big Data exchange center in March, taking advantage of analysis technologies to boost the economy and improve urban management, Shanghai Daily learned yesterday.

The as yet unnamed center, authorized by the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology, has attracted investors and data contributors including mobile carriers, local government and private firms that use advanced technologies. China UnionPay is in negotiations to join it, said the commission, the information technology industry regulator.

Firms and organizations will be able to use the center to purchase data through authorised channels at reasonable prices, said Zhang Ying, division chief of the commission's information technology application Division.