Oman’s submarine cable links to reach 31 by 2030

MUSCAT, NOV 4
The number of submarine cable systems landing in the Sultanate of Oman is expected to rise from 19 to 31 by 2030, with contracts signed or already in force for all 12 additional systems, a telecoms summit in Muscat was told.
Sohail Qadir, Chief Executive Officer of Zain Omantel International (ZOI), the wholesale telecoms joint venture between Omantel and Kuwait’s Zain Group, said the expansion would make Oman the most connected country in the region.
He was speaking at the Middle East 2026 Global Carrier Community Meeting (GCCM) gala dinner, hosted by Omantel at the Royal Opera House Muscat on Tuesday.
The 13th edition of the summit, organised by Berlin-based telecoms networking group Carrier Community, brought together wholesale carriers, network operators and connectivity providers at the St Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort from November 1 to 4. Delegates from 60 countries attended, according to a display at the gala.
Qadir said demand for digital infrastructure had already outgrown existing capacity in Oman. Equinix data centres in Barka and Salalah were full, while Oman Data Park was expanding its facilities.
New data centres are also under construction, including a 10 MW facility in Salalah and another site in Muscat. Omantel has invested in more than 20 submarine cable systems, including the Oman Australia Cable, which directly connects the two countries.
“Because of its geographical position, Oman will play a very strategic and central role in global connectivity. We believe Oman is positioned to become a very important hub to the world,” said Erik van Stokkom, Chief Moderator of Carrier Community.
Van Stokkom said Carrier Community had chosen Muscat over Dubai for its location and people, and hoped to return to Oman for future meetings.
During a panel discussion on satellite connectivity, industry representatives highlighted the potential of combining geostationary, medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit satellites to provide continuous coverage.
They said satellite connectivity could help upgrade remote sites in Oman from 2G to 4G and 5G services, although data sovereignty and cross-border licensing remained significant challenges.
The panel included Mohammed al Badi of Space Communications Technologies, Maxim Akinin of Russia’s Rostelecom, Bilal Qazi of Satmena and Abdulaziz al Jasmi of the UAE’s e&.
Omani endurance racing driver Ahmad al Harthy also addressed delegates, describing a modern GT3 racing car as “a moving cell tower”, supported by a data centre in the pit lane, where split-second delays in data transmission can determine race results.
Carrier Community, established in 2008, organises GCCM gatherings across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Picture caption: Panellists discuss satellite connectivity in Oman and the wider GCC during the Middle East 2026 Global Carrier Community Meeting in Muscat.