Omantel, the leading provider of integrated telecommunication services in the Sultanate of Oman, and Zain Omantel International (ZOI), the Middle East premier wholesale provider, areco-hosting the 11th annual Global Carrier Community Meeting (GCCM) in Muscat on the 5th and 6th of November 2024. The event is expected to attract around 900 delegates and decision-makers from more than 200 telecom and technology companiesrepresenting 70 countries. The event will be held in Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, in Muscat.
This year’s GCCM will spotlight Salalah’s rapid development as a major connectivity hub in the Middle East, driven by its strategic geographical location and Omantel’s ongoing investments in cutting-edge technology infrastructure. A key highlight is the inauguration of the SN1 Carrier Neutral Data Center, developed in partnership with Equinix, which plays a pivotal role in positioning Salalah as a digital bridge between Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe.
Mr. Ghassan Al Hashar, Chief Financial Officer at Omantel, said, “We are excited to welcome the global carrier community back to Muscat for the fourth time. Hosting this event provides us with a platform to showcase the significant milestones achieved in the wholesale domain. Additionally, we are eager to highlight the developments in Salalah as an international connectivity hub, making it the second most connected city in the region. We are reaping the results of our strategy, which focuses on investments in new subsea cables, carrier-neutral data centers, partnerships with leading hyperscalers, and attracting foreign direct investment into the technology sector.”
Eng. Yasser Al Lawati, Director of Marketing & Domestic at ZOI, added, “We are always keen to host global wholesale events, as this is an opportunity to contribute to the development of the global connectivity industry. The GCCM Middle East event is one of the most prominent international wholesale forums that take place in our region, and we are delighted that it is being hosted for the fourth time in Oman. We have been active in crafting this year’s agenda, selecting trending and relevant topics, inviting key speakers, and widening the scope of the event to cover the different streams of the international wholesale industry. At ZOI, we have been very active in expanding connectivity across remote markets and facilitating global telecommunications. We believe that our participation in GCCM is an ideal opportunity to voice our continuous efforts to reshape the international wholesale scene.”
The event will feature two masterclass sessions by leading global hyperscalers aimed at enhancing technology understanding. The first session, titled ‘How the Internet Travels,’ will be presented by Google and will focus on submarine cable technology and its impact on global connectivity. The second session, titled ‘Getting Started with AWS: An Introduction to Cloud Computing and AI Services,’ will be presented by Amazon Web Services. (AWS).
The event is also aligned with Oman’s Vision 2040 goals, furthering the Sultanate’s ambitions of becoming a global leader in telecommunications and digital infrastructure. Omantel continues to invest heavily in emerging technologies, including AI, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity, to provide state-of-the-art ICT solutions that will drive Oman’s future.
