Doha, Qatar: Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications operator, in partnership with DE-CIX, the leading global operator of carrier-neutral Internet Exchanges (IX), has officially announced Doha IX powered by DE-CIX, Qatar’s first standalone commercial Internet Exchange (IX). Leveraging DE-CIX’s extensive global expertise, developed across nearly 60 locations worldwide, this initiative strengthens Qatar’s position as a regional digital hub by enhancing connectivity, reducing costs, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Doha IX will offer a secure, carrier-neutral platform that facilitates low-latency traffic exchange, improves network performance, and supports remote peering services. Businesses in Qatar and across the region will benefit from cost-effective, direct access to global and regional content providers, streamlining connectivity through a single port while significantly reducing traditional IP transit costs.

Doha IX is built on DE-CIX’s cutting-edge interconnection technology and Ooredoo’s state-of-the-art data centre infrastructure, supported by both partners’ strong relationships with global content providers and networks. These critical assets ensure seamless and efficient traffic exchange, reducing latency, optimising network performance, and creating a robust Internet Exchange ecosystem in Qatar.

“We are proud to introduce Doha IX, which represents a significant step in upgrading Qatar’s digital infrastructure,” said Thani Ali Al Malki, Chief Business Officer at Ooredoo Qatar. “Doha IX delivers faster, more reliable connectivity while reducing operational costs for businesses and driving innovation across various industries, aligning with the goals of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and advancing our digital transformation initiatives.”

Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, added: “With Doha IX powered by DE-CIX, we are bringing DE-CIX’s global expertise to Qatar, enabling businesses and networks to benefit from superior interconnection services. Doha IX is the ideal place for international networks interested in reaching this important Middle Eastern market. The new IX, established through the partnership between DE-CIX and Ooredoo, will unleash the potential of the country’s digital economy by providing better performance and user experience of content and applications, and affordable and high-quality Internet access for enterprises and individuals. This partnership marks an important milestone in strengthening regional connectivity and creating an advanced digital ecosystem that supports economic growth and innovation in the GCC for the amazing digital decades ahead of us.”

DE-CIX is an established name in the Middle East, with a proven track record of growing healthy IXs and vibrant interconnection ecosystems. Doha IX, which will be built and operated under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model, is the sixth IX operated by DE-CIX in the region.

Through this collaboration, Ooredoo and DE-CIX are setting the foundation for advanced interconnection in the region. Together, they support Qatar’s digital transformation goals and position the country as a leader in the global digital economy, aligning with Qatar’s National Vision 2030.

About Ooredoo

Ooredoo is Qatar’s leading communications company, delivering mobile, fixed, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of consumers and businesses. As a community-focused company, Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people’s lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential.

DE-CIX

DE-CIX is the world’s leading operator of Internet Exchanges (IXs). Founded in 1995, the company is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025. DE-CIX offers its interconnection services in close to 60 locations in Europe, Africa, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia. Today, accessible from data centers in over 600 cities world-wide, DE-CIX interconnects thousands of network operators (carriers), Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers and enterprise networks from more than 100 countries, and offers peering, cloud, and other interconnection services. DE-CIX Frankfurt is one of the largest Internet Exchanges in the world, with a data volume of over 45 Exabytes per year (as of 2024) and close to 1100 connected networks. Close to 250 colleagues from over 35 different nations form the foundation of the DE-CIX success story in Germany and around the world. Since the beginning of the commercial Internet, DE-CIX has had a decisive influence – in a range of leading global bodies, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) – on co-defining guiding principles for the Internet of the present and the future. As the operator of critical IT infrastructure, DE-CIX bears a great responsibility for the seamless, fast, and secure data exchange between people, enterprises, and organizations at its locations around the globe.