Eleventh Meeting of Global Carrier Community Kicks off in Muscat.

Muscat: Omantel and Zain Omantel International 'ZOI' are jointly holding the 11th annual Global Carrier Community Meeting in Muscat on 5 and 6 November 2024. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, with 900 decision-makers and representatives from over 200 telecom and technology companies from 70 countries participating at Al Bustan Palace Hotel. According to Oman News Agency, the event focuses on Salalah's development as a major connectivity hub in the Middle East, driven by its strategic location and Omantel's investments in technology infrastructure. A significant feature of the meeting is the inauguration of the 'SN1 Carrier Neutral Data Center', which aims to establish Salalah as a digital bridge connecting Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Ghassan bin Khamis Al Hashar, Chief Financial Officer at Omantel, emphasized the conference's role in showcasing the company's achievements in the wholesale business, particularly in Salalah, poised to become the regi on's second most connected city by submarine cables next year. Al Hashar highlighted Omantel's strategic focus on subsea cables, neutral data centers, partnerships, and attracting foreign direct investments in technology. Eng. Yasser Al Lawati, Director of Marketing and Domestic at ZOI, remarked on the meeting's significance in advancing the global telecommunications sector. Al Lawati stated that ZOI's participation reaffirms its commitment to reshaping the international wholesale landscape. The conference's first day featured two specialized sessions. Google led a session on the global Internet's functioning through submarine cable technology, while Amazon hosted a session on cloud computing services and artificial intelligence. Aligning with Oman Vision 2040, the event underscores the Sultanate's ambition to lead in telecommunications technology and digital infrastructure. Omantel remains committed to investing in emerging technologies like AI, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity, aiming to provide cuttin g-edge ICT solutions to propel Oman's future growth.