Tata Communications has signed an agreement with the Qatar-based Qtel for a new undersea cable network that will connect a number of regional operators in the Gulf region with the country.
"The enhanced capacity provided by this new cabling solution will help ensure rapid growth of broadband services across Qatar," Qtel Chief Executive Officer Nasser Marafih said here today in a release.
This cable system would connect the Gulf region with the world's major business hubs and city centres thus improving connectivity and providing the foundations for next generation communication technology, he added.
Total length of the cable system within the Gulf region would stretch some 4,469 km, reaching from Mumbai to Oman and onto Kuwait and would connect Tata Communications' global cable and backhaul network.
"This partnership is designed to create mutual benefit, which will multiply steadily as we use the foundation of the TGN Gulf cable system to develop additional network and IT services that address growing market needs," Tata Communications President and COO Vinod Kumar said.
Through the TGN-Gulf cable system, Qatar would have access to high-speed global routing that would encourage expansion in broadband penetration, Internet usage, enterprise applications and will give faster and more reliable bandwidth.
Building and installing the global submarine cable would take around 22 months, Qtel said in a statement.
In addition to Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE will be connected to TGN Gulf Cable in the initial phase. Subsequently, in the second phase other Gulf countries will be conjoined.
Earlier also Qtel and Tata Communications had worked together. In June 2009, the two companies had agreed to align their infrastructures to provide various connectivity solutions including Ethernet, MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) to their global customers.
