Dubai - du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) and Oman’s Omantel, have come together to link the  UAE and Sultanate of Oman through a newly activated 275km international fibre optic submarine cable named the Oman Emirates Gateway (OEG) that will meet the evolving market demands, scale up speed, expand connectivity, deliver enhanced customer experience and provide wider commercial offerings.

The UAE and Oman are currently connected through terrestrial and submarine routes. The new cable system of OEG will serve as an express connection between both countries and the partnership will reiterate du’s and Omantel’s position as leading wholesale players supporting the region to evolve into the new promising global communication hub.

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du, said, “We are excited to enter into this partnership with Omantel. The agreement comes from a common vision for a new strategic direction that will help both companies optimise their assets and positions in the local, regional and global markets. OEG will trigger more investments to the region and boost the performance of our wholesale and enterprise customers, which will be passed further down the line to the society by bringing largescale transformation. We share the same vision with Omantel of transforming the region to a global telecom hub and have always strived to introduce cutting-edge solutions to our customers.”

Talal Al Mamari, CEO Omantel, said, “I am happy to announce this partnership with du. This direct and dedicated corridor will synergise the goals of Omantel as the global wholesale hub and of du as the regional data hub, bringing huge benefits to our Wholesale and Enterprise customers. Both companies will also be able to further expand their networks with higher efficiency and improved connectivity which will result in a significant positive impact in terms of services quality and product variety.”.

The importance of this partnership is reflected by the fact that it is the first of its kind regional fibre optic submarine cable which connects two international data centres -  Equinix MC1 in Barka, Oman and datamena DX1 in Dubai, UAE. This link will act as a major facilitator for hyperscalers, content providers and international carriers that are currently hosted in these datacentres to avail improved connectivity services and higher capacities and will be able to directly link their Point of Presence (POPs) in the region. Increased connectivity between the two data centres will also attract more global players to the region, improve the quality of connectivity, which will in turn, boost customer experience.

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About du

Operating under the steadfast umbrella of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), du is an integral driver of the UAE’s economic, social and digital transformation. Thriving on digitally innovating all facets of the contemporary telecom experience, we touch the lives of millions of customers everyday as a dedicated enabler of connectivity, continuity and growth across consumer and enterprise segments. Whether delivering state-of-the-art Smart City infrastructure, bespoke enterprise ICT solutions, government communications, secure data solutions, or the very best in-home entertainment and value, we are a reliable telco and ICT player shaping the future of communication for a more connected tomorrow.

About Omantel

Omantel Wholesale is the international and domestic wholesale arm of Oman Telecommunications Company S.A.O.G. (Omantel), the first and leading integrated telecommunications service provider in Oman.

Founded in 1970, Omantel is a joint-stock company listed in Muscat Securities Market and is 51% owned by Oman Investment Authority (OIA), a wholly owned investment arm of the Omani government.

Omantel has investments in 20+ submarine cable systems globally. 5 unique submarine cable landing stations in Oman and Outbound connectivity of multiple terrestrial links to neighbouring countries. It is the first and only GCC carrier to land a submarine cable in Europe.

Omantel Wholesale capitalizes on ultra-low latency networks to enable innovation and digital transformation globally, utilizing Oman’s geographic advantage at the absolute nexus of the east, west, north, and south to enable its customers and partners to deliver their services with the best possible end-user experience.

For more information, please visit www.omantel.om/Wholesale