Google launched a new service, Dedicated Interconnect, that lets companies establish a private, direct connection to its Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

It also allows Google to better compete against cloud giants Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, both of which already offer similar direct connections: AWS Direct Connect and Azure Express Route.

These private connections to cloud service providers give enterprises a way to more securely move data and manage business applications in the cloud. It’s useful for hybrid cloud environments, to extend corporate data centers’ IP space into the Google Cloud, or for high-bandwidth traffic, Google says.

Dedicated Interconnect also offers increased throughput and can potentially reduce network costs, according to a blog post by John Veizades, Dedicated Interconnect product manager.

Companies working with large or real-time data sets can also use the service to control how that data is routed.

The service works by physically connecting a company’s network with Google’s network in a Google colocation facility. There are 35 of these facilities in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. About 20 of those are Equinix data centers.

“Once connected, the Google network provides access to all GCP regions using a private fiber network that connects more than 100 points of presence around the globe.” Veizades writes, adding that the service is “available today in many locations — with more coming soon.”

Google last month said it would trial tiered access for GCP interconnect services that trade performance for a lower cost.

The lower-priced Standard Tier will deliver outbound traffic from GCP to the Internet over transit networks instead of using Google’s network. The Premium Tier will continue to use Google interconnect network regardless of origination or destination.