Qatar’s leading telecom service provider, Vodafone Qatar has launched an international subsea cable station that hosts the largest subsea cable project in the world.
This came in line with a 20-year agreement signed with Saudi Telecom Company (STC), a member of the global subsea cable system, 2Africa consortium.
Under the agreement, Vodafone will build and operate an exclusive subsea cable station, which makes Qatar part of a multi-regional project that will support an ever-growing global digital economy, and opens up a wide range of local and international opportunities.
2Africa is a transformative subsea cable for future internet connectivity in Africa announced by global and African partners including Facebook, China Mobile International, Vodafone Group, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, STC, Telecom Egypt, and others.
The newly expanded system will serve an even wider range of communities that rely on the internet for consumer services and business purposes, and provide the vast range of economic and social benefits that come from increased connectivity.
Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla Jassim Al Thani CEO – Vodafone Qatar
“We are pleased to be part of this project that will increase the capacity, quality and availability of internet connectivity in Qatar and contribute to the country’s digital transformation. We are currently building the new station for submarine cables, demonstrating the role we play as a strategic gateway to the world and how together we can continue to transform Qatar into a global hub, driven by our robust communications infrastructure. Through global subsea networks, Qatar is connected to the global digital economy which enables continued growth in our market via trade and investment.”
The project serves the African continent and the Middle East region, connecting over 3 billion people, or 36 percent of the world’s population, to the rest of the world. The Arabian Gulf, India, and Pakistan are all covered by the new 2Africa PEARLS section of the network. With this addition, the overall length of the 2Africa cable system now exceeds 45,000 kilometers.
