Omantel and Etisalat announced the signing of agreement that will allow both operators to expand their Global IP VPN footprint. The agreement which was inked last week at Omantel Headquarters in Muscat will enhance the connectivity options for corporate customers between the UAE and Oman. The two leading telcos service providers joined forces to commence the installation of Etisalat's Global MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) node in Oman. The project once completed will enable Etisalat's customers to connect their offices on Etisalat's backbone between UAE and Oman networks. The agreement with Omantel will enable both companies to deliver greater coverage, seamless user experience and reliable technology to their respective customers. Commenting at the signing ceremony, Abdulla al Ahmed, Senior Vice-President -- Business at Etisalat, said, "Etisalat is delighted to announce the collaboration with Omantel in expanding our footprint of Global MPLS services. This will also help us capitalise on the strong and growing economic ties between Oman and the UAE to offer end-to-end connectivity solutions to corporate customers in both countries. Businesses can now rely on our mutual partnership to support their mission-critical applications through a seamless network for enhanced convenience and high quality of service standards." "We are pleased to take our long-standing partnership with Etisalat to new heights by the signing of this new agreement. The agreement will enable our growing number of MPLS state-of-the-art service customers to connect with their offices in both countries benefiting from the strong and reliable fibre connectivity that links both countries and the international reach of both respective operators", said Sohail Qadir, Vice-President -- Omantel -- Wholesale Business. The new agreement is the latest in a series of agreements that Omantel has recently signed with international operators and telecom firms. Benefiting from the unique geographical location of the Sultanate, Omantel is increasingly distinguishing itself as the regional hub of international submarine cables. Currently, Omantel has direct connectivity with seven cables and is expected to launch two more cables before the end of this year. Coupled by nation-wide local fibre network, this strong national and international connectivity ensures Omantel corporate customers best in class end-to-end solutions such as MPLS. Etisalat has installed MPLS nodes in partnerships with multiple leading carriers worldwide including London (UK), Singapore, New York (USA), Alexandria (Egypt), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Karachi (Pakistan), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Doha (Qatar) and Kuwait.
