STC & Level 3 sign international network pact

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has tied up with Level 3 Communications in a reciprocal agreement to enhance the reach of both companies’ international online connections, so improving IP services and content distribution for their customers across the Middle East, Europe and the US.
“With the largest international network in the Middle East and Africa, Saudi Telecom is the only Middle East operator today that has international connectivity by way of both multiple submarine cable systems and a terrestrial cable system via the recently launched Jeddah-Amman-Damascus-Istanbul (JADI) link,” said Saad Demyati, Saudi Telecom’s vice president of Wholesale Business Unit.
“Our relationship with Level 3 allows us to offer the reliable, high-quality global connectivity and end-to-end solutions our customers increasingly demand, with the unique benefit of access to a fully redundant and scalable Tier 1 network.”
As well as an extensive network throughout Saudi Arabia, STC has investments in terabit-size submarine cable systems that connect 35 countries across North America, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and South East Asia. Level 3, meanwhile, will provide STC with increased fibre-based IP connectivity via multiple 10Gbps ports at various points of presence (PoPs) across Europe, including Marseille.
“Leveraging STC’s terrestrial connectivity in eight Middle Eastern countries, combined with the broad reach of Level 3’s international IP and CDN networks, we’re able to expand our offerings to new and existing customers around the world,” said James Heard, president of European Markets at Level 3.
“We’ve worked hard over the years to build out our international connectivity, and this agreement with STC is an important next step in expanding that connectivity even further into a region where we see a lot of potential for growth.”