Page 32 - SAMENA Trends - October-December 2024

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Etihad Etisalat Co. (Mobily) Announces Its Acquisition of an Additional 120
MHz of Frequency Spectrum to Provide the Best Services to Its Customers

Etihad Etisalat Co. (Mobily) announces enables broad geographic coverage and holdings of 320 MHz in the (800, 900,
its participation in the spectrum auction high-quality service, including advanced 1800, 2100, 2600, and 3700 MHz) bands,
held by the Communications, Space & 5G capabilities. Meanwhile, the 3800 MHz Mobily currently owns a total of 440 MHz
Technology Commission (CST) in the band offers Mobily with the capacity to of spectrum for mobile networks. Given
frequency bands (600, 700, 3800) MHz enhance its ability to deliver high-speed the Kingdom's advancements in the
for mobile telecommunications networks. services to both Consumer and Business telecommunications sector and mobile
On November 11, 2024, the Company customers amid the growing demand networks, and the increasing demand for
successfully obtained a 15-year license to for ultra-fast data services. The synergy advanced services, Mobily has been keen
use 120 MHz of spectrum for a total value between these two bands creates a to invest in the necessary new spectrum,
of SAR 2,485,003,000. This spectrum will comprehensive spectrum that will enable reaffirming its commitment to providing
be available for use starting from January Mobily to offer innovative services that a state-of-the-art infrastructure that
1, 2025. Mobily has acquired 20 MHz in the meet the needs of its customers, reflecting supports the latest technologies to meet
700 MHz band, and an additional 100 MHz the Company's commitment to rapid the aspirations of its customers and
in the 3800 MHz band. These frequency adoption of the latest technologies and contribute to achieving the Kingdom's
bands offer several advantages; the 700 its position as a leading industry player. digital transformation goals.
MHz band, characterized by its mature With the addition of this new (120 MHz)
ecosystem and widespread device support, spectrum to the Company’s existing

Omantel and Equinix Open Data Center in Salalah

Digital infrastructure company Equinix
has officially opened what it describes as
its state-of-the-art data center in Salalah,
Oman, built in cooperation with integrated
telecommunications services provider
Omantel. The facility, called SN1, is
commercially and operationally managed
in full by Equinix as a carrier neutral
and open access Equinix International
Business Exchange (IBX) data center.
This is the second Equinix carrier-neutral
data center to be built in Oman, following
MC1 in Muscat, and Equinix’s sixth facility
in the Middle East, complementing its
existing operations in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi. SN1’s location in the coastal city
of Salalah optimizes the routes of several
highly strategic connections, offering a in Muscat, providing carriers, hyperscalers, providers and hyperscalers to the region,
more direct and cost-effective reachability content providers and cloud service and this state-of-the-art data center is
for businesses and service providers providers the ability to co-locate their a key part of this vision. By next year, we
across four continents. Indeed, Equinix critical infrastructure and further enhance plan to land multiple subsea cables in
claims that SN1 will “significantly reshape regional operations. As Talal Al Mamari, Salalah, solidifying its status as one of the
traffic flows across the Middle East and CEO of Omantel, explains: “The launch of most connected hubs in the region due
beyond”, reducing latency and improving the SN1 data center is a cornerstone of to its location at the crossroads of major
the resilience of global networks. The our strategy to create a global connectivity international routes between Asia, Europe,
facility will also feature direct fiber hub in Salalah. We are committed to Africa and all the way to Australia.”
connectivity to Equinix’s MC1 data center attracting the world’s leading content

32 OCT-DEC 2024