Standard accounts have up to 40 possible characters total with a maximum eight per server (not data centre).

And yes, you can still create another new character on an entirelly different data centre with your original one intact (you just have to remember change the data centre and region on the main title screen before creating a new character, and then change the data centre again when you want to play on your original character).

Only free trial and 'entry' subscription accounts are severely limited to how many characters you can create.