e& UAE has upgraded its EMIX IP transit backbone to 400G in collaboration with Cisco, significantly increasing core network capacity to support the Middle East’s rapidly growing demand for high-speed data. The upgrade strengthens regional connectivity by reducing latency, improving traffic efficiency, and supporting next-generation workloads such as cloud interconnects and AI-driven applications.
The enhanced EMIX core now supports 400G links, providing additional headroom as regional data traffic continues to grow at more than 20% annually. By lowering end-to-end latency and improving per-bit economics, the upgrade benefits latency-sensitive services, including real-time communications, streaming, and enterprise cloud connectivity.
As part of the rollout, e& integrated AI- and machine learning-driven, intent-based automation to accelerate service provisioning, reduce human error, and improve network reliability. The deployment leverages Cisco ASR9000 routers and 400G line cards, enabling a modular upgrade path that increases capacity without major network disruption.
e& plans to extend 400G capabilities and advanced automation to international EMIX points of presence, further strengthening regional and global peering performance. The upgrade aligns with wider MENA telecom trends, as operators move from 100G to 400G as a new core-network baseline to support AI, cloud, and converged fixed-mobile services.
