Telecom Egypt’s Seif Mounib writes about a newly launched, agile, cutting-edge ecosystem called WeConnect.
For more than 165 years, Telecom Egypt has been a key enabler for global telecommunications. We understand and value the importance of connecting people, and throughout our journey, we have consistently focused on designing innovative solutions and adopting cutting-edge technologies that have enabled us to become a well-established global digital infrastructure hub.
Through Telecom Egypt, hyperscalers and international network providers have access to a diverse and resilient subsea ecosystem, further positioning us as a go-to destination for players looking to ‘land and expand’ in growing markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. With our trusted connectivity and uninterrupted service offerings, we are able to ensure the best service to the international telecommunications community and the global population at large.
Today, Telecom Egypt shares its capabilities and networking resources with the world via a rich infrastructure of 14 subsea systems landing in Egypt’s 10 cable stations, and with over 10 terrestrial routes crossing the country.
This geographically diverse topology is empowered by a joint total of around 3,000 kilometres of coastline on the Red Sea (1,941km) and Mediterranean (995km). All these factors enable us to offer a growing number of subsea cable system options and varied landing points, marking a unique advantage for our international partners and network providers.
Such a robust subsea ecosystem, coupled with Egypt's distinctive position at the intersection of three continents, has positioned us to accommodate 180Tbps and rising of international traffic across the country, transforming it into a global connectivity hub.
Making connectivity count
We have now taken another key step to move communications on to the next stage. This move involved launching our WeConnect cross-connection ecosystem in September, giving partners open, neutral and agile access to our digital infrastructure via a commercially appealing model. Using a standardised pricing system, the solution successfully integrates between different subsea systems landing in varied cable landing stations, giving our partners access to a cohesive ecosystem of digital-infrastructure enablement and acceleration.
This partner-centric model reduces interconnection costs while providing agile access to diverse layers of digital infrastructure. Backed by a digital platform, WeConnect accelerates how subsea cable systems are interconnected and simplifies how our partners procure, manage and scale their digital infrastructure. Cross-connection services can be ordered via WeConnect, giving users neutral and transparent pricing options.
Using WeConnect, our partners, which have worked relentlessly with us to co-build numerous subsea cable networks, can access click-to-order connectivity while enjoying greater agility, adaptability, diversity and resiliency to mix and match varied connectivity options within a single ecosystem. They can reroute traffic to different systems to scale up and expand their businesses, giving them full control of their subsea cable connectivity. This way, they can mitigate potential risks and reach billions of prospective users, helping them to cost-effectively scale to serve new and growing demand.
Egypt's next digital era
The subsea cable market is no longer about point-to-point connectivity; instead, it demands ecosystems that accelerate how market players connect and grow at a remarkable pace.
WeConnect resonates with our belief that you can’t just say you are a hub, but you also have to make sure you behave like one. The ecosystem supports the rapid growth of internet exchange points and data centres in Egypt, allowing hyperscalers and international network providers to reach new markets quickly and efficiently.
Over the years, Telecom Egypt has collaborated with mega players and partners to build numerous subsea cable systems, successfully developing and diversifying the infrastructure in Egypt and around the world. We consider WeConnect a way of adding value for all our partners by supporting them to make the best use of their assets and ultimately echoing all the way through to the end-user experience.
Launching WeConnect is a remarkable milestone in our digital journey, in which we see numerous opportunities to expand our capabilities, grow our reach and replicate our model. Our main focus is on shaping the future to enable our partners’ success, while further positioning Egypt at the heart of their networking strategies.
