2 Jun, 2011

Qtel announced the successful landing of the Tata Global Network (TGN) Gulf high-capacity submarine fibre optic cable in Sumaismah, north of Doha, Qatar. When the new link is fully functional by the end of the year, it will instantaneously route traffic from Qtel customers to Mumbai, India and onwards to the rest of the world, via the Tata Global Network.The new cable was connected to the Qtel national network by the world-renowned T E SubCom, an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology. Qtel’s international connectivity strategy aims to construct a resilient cable network to enable a comprehensive broadband ICT-based society in Qatar. The successful landing of the TGN-Gulf cable will help ensure that Qtel can manage the ever-growing demand for voice and data services in Qatar.Dr. Nasser Marafih, CEO, Qtel, said: “This is another important milestone in the evolution of our global network of international connections. By working with global partners such as Tata Communications we are ensuring that resilience and diversity are built into our long-term plan for growth, which will in turn support the wider economic and social development of Qatar. This new connection will be supported by the superior technology of Qtel’s purpose-built landing station.”Other TGN-Gulf project landing parties include Nawras, which is part of the Qtel Group, Bahrain Internet Exchange (in the Kingdom of Bahrain), Mobily (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and Etisalat (United Arab Emirates).Mr. Radwan Moussalli, Managing Director for MENA, Tata Communications, said: “This new cable connection will bring Qatar an important global, high-speed route for data and voice communication, adding even more capability and resilience to the Qatar network infrastructure. The increased capacity will enable the expansion of broadband penetration and the growth of enterprise services throughout Qatar.”