Oman Telecommunications Co. SAOG — known as Omantel — announced recently in Muscat the completed submerging of its 25,000-km cable system in Marseille, France, successfully connecting Hong Kong to Singapore, Africa and Europe, all via Oman.
With the project’s “landing,” the top telecom provider for the sultanate has created a significant shortcut between Europe and the Far Eastern nations. Omantel’s CEO Talal Said Al Mamari described the city of Marseille as an easy choice due to its advantageous geographical location and position as a major port of trade and physical gateway into Europe.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the city of Marseille,” Al Mamari said. “To land a cable of this magnitude requires permits and regulatory approvals from many areas within the government. Our experience of Marseille is a city that is professional, business oriented and one that welcomes foreign investment.”
With its AAE-1 submarine cable project, Omantel is the first company to provide such connectivity between the far-flung continents. The company relied on its French subsidiary, Omantel France, to oversee the operation.
The new platform will also alleviate logistical overhead for global network operators, creating a new model of neutrality for entrepreneurs, with a data center in Marseille operated by Interxion, a company providing colocation data center services across Europe.
“[W]e are thrilled with the successful execution of this project,” Sohail Qadir, Omantel’s wholesale VP, said. “The AAE-1 cable represents a further step in our vision to become a truly global telecommunications player. Throughout history Oman has always been a gateway to the region, facilitating trade and commerce from East to West and West to East. At Omantel, we aim to continue our nation’s proud tradition, this time facilitating the transfer of information in this new digital age.”
