Telecom Egypt, the pioneering integrated telecom operator in Egypt and a prominent subsea cable operator in the region, is partnering with Zain Omantel International [ZOI], a leading international wholesale entity in the Middle East with access to over 20 international subsea cables. Together, they are creating a groundbreaking digital corridor, which will connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Arabian Sea and Gulf, forming an unparalleled Eurasian data highway.
This state-of-the-art infrastructure will stretch from the shores of Oman’s Arabian Sea and Gulf to Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. It combines a high-fiber count with a blend of terrestrial and subsea segments. The terrestrial parts, spanning Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, offer unmatched reliability and protection. The subsea section, directly connecting Saudi Arabia and Egypt via the Red Sea, will be equipped with a high-capacity, repeaterless cable system.
This design will ensure exceptional resilience and reliability for Telecom Egypt and ZOI’s partners and customers. Additionally, the infrastructure will extend to Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan through ZOI’s network and collaborations with licensed cable landing parties in these countries.
The collaboration also presents a unique opportunity for subsea cable owners to connect to this open access system, significantly reducing construction costs and improving latency, resilience, and market responsiveness. Telecom Egypt will develop new infrastructure across Egypt, from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and into Europe, supported by ZOI’s robust Middle Eastern infrastructure. This new network route will be the shortest, enhancing latency profiles and offering hyperscalers, subsea cable providers, carriers, and telecom operators improved connectivity from the Indian Ocean to Europe.
Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and CEO at Telecom Egypt, expressed excitement about this strategic project with ZOI, calling it a game-changer in Eurasia route connectivity. He emphasized Telecom Egypt’s commitment to providing a seamless international connectivity network with increased diversity layers, without compromising quality, cost, or speed. This commitment leverages Telecom Egypt’s established history and experienced team in the subsea cables arena.
Sohail Qadir, CEO at ZOI, expressed delight in partnering with Telecom Egypt on this groundbreaking project. He highlighted that ZOI’s creation aimed to revolutionize the wholesale telecom scene, and this project is a testament to that vision. The project facilitates the landing of subsea connections through shareholders like Omantel and Zain KSA, licensees in those jurisdictions. Qadir emphasized that this unique infrastructure would expand to most of ZOI’s network footprint, maximizing benefits for group operations across the region. He noted the enormous value this digital corridor will create, not only in connectivity but also in technological, commercial, and social aspects.
