The 11th Global Carrier Community Meeting (Middle East GCCM) held last week in Muscat, Oman, brought together over 1,000 participants from around 200 telecom and technology firms spanning 70 countries. Co-hosted by Omantel, Oman’s leading telecommunications and ICT provider, and Zain Omantel International (ZOI), the Middle East’s premier wholesale telecom provider, the event took place at the luxurious Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
This year’s GCCM focused on the rising significance of Salalah, a coastal city in southern Oman, as a key regional connectivity hub. Omantel’s substantial investments in digital infrastructure, subsea cables, and foreign direct investment have helped position Salalah as an important player in the region’s telecom sector.
A standout feature of the event was the unveiling of the SN1 Carrier-Neutral Data Centre, developed in collaboration with Equinix. This new facility enhances Salalah’s position as a digital bridge linking Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. By improving traffic flows, reducing latency, and boosting network resilience, the data centre is set to play a vital role in the global telecom landscape.
Over the last decade, Omantel has invested more than $1 billion in international networks and data centers, attracting global hyperscalers to set up regional hubs in Oman. On the international stage, the creation of the joint venture Zain Omantel International (ZOI) has further strengthened Oman’s position, establishing a dominant force in the wholesale telecom sector. ZOI offers end-to-end connectivity solutions across the Middle East and beyond.
The event also featured masterclasses by Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS), offering insights into submarine cable technology, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), further highlighting Oman’s growing role in the global digital economy.
