Page 26 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

directly in MC1, the site benefits from market—including the new data center in states and the wider MENA region can
continued investments by Omantel in Oman—reflects our commitment to our also leverage other Equinix data centers
multiple strategic subsea cable systems customers as they continue their digital in the region for dual access to content
throughout the world, reaching over 50 transformation journeys.” According to the providers, allowing carriers, content
countries globally. Omantel currently has latest edition of the Global Interconnection providers and cloud providers to leverage
investments in more than 20 subsea cable Index (GXI), enterprise consumption of interconnection and further build resilience
systems and leverages six diverse landing interconnection bandwidth is predicted into their IT and network infrastructures.
stations in Oman and one in Marseille, to grow at a 67% CAGRby 2022 in Europe, Kamel Al-Tawil, Managing Director for
France. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), outpacing the Middle East and North Africa, Equinix,
President, EMEA, Equinix, said, “We are other forms of business data exchange, stated, “As IP traffic growth continues
seeing accelerated demand for digital as businesses respond to rapidly growing to accelerate, it is more important than
transformation in MENA. Across different volumes of data. Sohail Qadir, Vice ever that the IP peering community has a
sectors, organizations are reassessing President of Omantel Wholesale Unit said scalable, reliable and globally consistent
their cloud adoption strategies and cloud “Omantel provides cable landings and Internet Exchange solution in all markets
readiness. In the digital age, companies connectivity to more than 120 cities across where they want to peer traffic. Oman is
need to reach all the right places and the world. We also have investments in strategically positioned between Asia,
partners to seize the opportunity, and 20 subsea cable systems and leverage Africa and Europe, and with our partnership
they need to do it out at the edge. Our six diverse landing stations in Oman and with Omantel, we intend to create a hub
partnership with Omantel greatly supports another in France. Additionally, Omantel that will allow drivers of internet traffic
our ability to meet this need, particularly as is an investor in AAE-1 consortium, one to efficiently peer, and expand operations
our customers can now leverage Omantel’s of the largest, newest high-capacity across the world.” According to Equinix’s
significant subsea cable infrastructure. connections between Asia, Africa and 2019-20 Global Tech Trends Survey, over
This type of colocation and interconnection Europe. And through this partnership with 40 per cent of IT decision-makers in EMEA
services platform creates a magnetic effect Equinix, we believe we are well-positioned are prioritizing connecting with new digital
that draws in more users that can leverage now to provide the current and future ecosystems as part of their organization’s
a global subsea cable fabric connecting needs of carriers, content providers, and overarching technology strategy.
cities, countries and continents. Along cloud providers” Based on demand and
with this, our investment in the Middle East requirements, customers across Gulf

stc Levels Up Unlimited 5G Roaming Service To
Span All GCC

Kuwait Telecommunications Company – be announced in the coming period. unlimited 5G roaming service allows our
stc, a world-class digital leader providing Through its pioneering role in the local valued customers to experience the same
innovative services and platforms and regional telecom sector, stc if offering quality of internet service and high-speed
to customers, enabling the digital this breakthrough service with unlimited connectivity while traveling anywhere in
transformation in Kuwait, announced that internet usage, allowing users to stay the GCC. Possessing the network with
it will be the first operator in the Middle connected at all times, even when traveling the largest coverage in Kuwait, our goal
East to offer unlimited 5G roaming for to GCC countries. As the first telecom is to enrich our customers’ experiences
all its postpaid, prepaid and enterprise operator to rollout this unique service in by offering them telecommunication and
customers across all GCC Countries. The Kuwait and the Middle East, unlimited internet roaming services wherever they
innovative and ground-breaking service 5G roaming is available to customers are.” Alharbi added, “Our strategic approach
can be added to any of stc’s packages for traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, targeting sustainable development in the
both existing and new customers starting the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman digital and telecom realm drives us to
at only KD7. stc released a statement and Qatar. This initiative builds on the explore customer-centric solutions that
indicating that the first-to-market offering Company’s previous promotion, which grasp the power of true 5G technology
will permit stc customers to enjoy the offered 5G roaming services to KSA and to enable digital transformation. At stc,
telecom operator’s ultra-fast 5G speeds the UAE with packages starting at KD7 a we stand by our commitment to utilize
throughout all GCC countries without month. Commenting on the first-of-its- our resources and network to diversify
any price increases to offered roaming kind service, CEO of stc, engineer Maziad our offerings, delivering an unrivaled
packages. The Company is also planning Alharbi, said, “We are proud to offer this experience and range of options that meet
on offering a wide range of roaming innovative service that goes beyond border the needs of our diverse customer base.”
services to countries within Europe and boundaries and represents the strong bond
the United States of America, which will shared between the GCC countries. The

26 SEP-OCT 2020