By Vaughan O’Grady
Omani service provider Omantel and du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), have announced plans to link the UAE and Oman through a newly activated 275-kilometre international fibre optic submarine cable named the Oman Emirates Gateway (OEG).
The UAE and Oman are currently connected through terrestrial and submarine routes. The new OEG cable system will serve as an express connection between both countries and, say the two companies, reiterate du’s and Omantel’s position as leading wholesale players supporting the region’s aims to evolve into a new global communication hub.
This is described as a first-of-its-kind regional fibre optic submarine cable which will connect two international data centres – Equinix MC1 in Barka, Oman and datamena DX1 in Dubai, UAE.
This link will act as a major facilitator for the hyperscalers, content providers and international carriers that are currently hosted in these data centres to make use of improved connectivity services and higher capacities. They will also be able to directly link their points of presence (POPs) in the region.
The partners say increased connectivity between the two data centres will also attract more global players to the region, and improve the quality of connectivity, which will in turn, boost customer experience. However, there appears to be no fixed timescale for the OEG yet.
Omantel already has investments in more than 20 submarine cable systems globally, along with five 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.
