Omantel has signed a contract in Tehran with three international telecom partners from Iran, UK and Russia to provide a new express cable system that will ultimately link Frankfurt in Germany to the Gulf.The agreement will strengthen Omantel’s position as a ‘carrier of carriers’ and help ensure that Oman becomes a gateway hub for the region in delivering high speed telecommunication services through the new Europe Persia Express Gateway (EPEG) system, a press release said.
Senior Omantel executives were in Tehran to formally sign the agreement with colleagues from UK based Cable & Wireless, Rostelcom from Russia and the Telecommunications Infrastructure Company (TIC) of Iran. One of the major benefits of the EPEG system will be a major alternative cable route from the region to Europe.
Currently most cables go through Egypt and the Gulf of Suez, but by developing this new route from Oman to Germany, operators will have a new alternative to current routes.
Commenting on the significance of the agreement, Eng Abdulrahim al Bahlani said, “EPEG is a system that has brought together a diverse range of highly experienced international partners to build a unique system that will improve telecommunications services and provide new opportunities for collaboration with our partners.
“This will be our first major project with TIC from Iran and Rostelcom from Russia, while strengthening our long and fruitful partnership with Cable & Wireless. We are looking forward to seeing the system in service in 2012 and the major benefits it will bring to both our local and international customers.
Each one of the four partners in EPEG will have individual responsibility for the construction and development of the part of the network that runs through their own country to ensure the most efficient and cost effective implementation of the system.
Oman’s superb geographical location makes it the ideal entry point for global submarine cable systems to land in the sultanate and benefit from Omantel’s landing stations to connect into the wider Middle East region.
