Omantel and du, the Omani service provider of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), announced plans to connect the UAE and Oman via a newly launched 275 km international submarine cable called Oman Emirates Gateway (OEG).
The UAE and Oman are currently connected by land and submarine routes. The new OEG cable system will serve as a fast connection between the two countries, the companies said, reaffirming du's and Omantel's position as leading wholesalers and supporting the region's goal of developing into a new global communications hub.
Described as a first-of-its-kind regional fiber optic submarine cable, it will connect two international data centers - Equinix MC1 in Barka, Oman, and datamena DX1 in Dubai, UAE.
The link will serve as a major facilitator for hyperscale providers, content providers and international carriers currently hosted in these data centers to take advantage of improved connectivity services and higher capacity. They will also be able to directly link their access points (POPs) in the region.
The enhanced connectivity between the two data centers will also attract more global players to the region and improve the quality of connectivity, which in turn will enhance the customer experience, the partners said. However, OEG does not appear to have a fixed timeline.
Omantel has invested in more than 20 submarine cable systems worldwide, with five unique submarine cable landing stations in Oman, as well as multiple outbound connections to terrestrial links in neighboring countries. It is the first and only GCC operator to land a submarine cable in Europe.
