Owned by Batelco, the 1,400km long system will connect Bahrain to other countries in the region including Oman, Qatar and the UAE.
The MoU was was during Capacity Middle East by Hani Askar, chief global business officer at Batelco and Nabil Baccouche, chief carrier and wholesale officer at e& Carrier & Wholesale Group.
“We are proud to announce signing with e& to land the Al Khaleej cable in the UAE, marking a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity across the GCC region. As the exclusive owner of this state-of-the-art Al Khaleej cable system, we are committed to providing unparalleled connectivity and a digital superhighway that will transform communication within the region,” said Askar.
“With Bahrain now directly connected to other GCC countries through this advanced infrastructure, we are ushering in a new era of seamless and efficient data exchange. This achievement reinforces our dedication to delivering cutting-edge connectivity solutions and strengthens our position as a leader in the telecommunications industry.”
“Through our active participation in the SEA-ME-WE 6 and Al Khaleej Cable systems, alongside our existing international infrastructure and strategic partnerships with industry leaders like e&, we are revolutionizing the diversity, resilience, and latency of our network systems. This positions us at the forefront of connectivity innovation, empowering businesses and individuals with unparalleled speed, reliability, and seamless communication capabilities.”
The Al Khaleej cable will branch off from the 21,700km SEA-ME-WE 6 cable which is currently in development. Once operational, it will connect Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.
Batelco through the Beyon Group is one of the nvestors in the SEA-ME-WE 6 consortium.
“We are extremely delighted to cooperate with Batelco as the exclusive landing party for the Al Khaleej cable in the UAE. Our expertise over the past decades in landing over 20 submarine cables will certainly provide timely deployment of world-class infrastructure as part of this strategic partnership,” added Baccouche.
“The integration of the new submarine cable Al Khaleej into the UAE extending its reach to Bahrain and the GCC marks a ground-breaking milestone in the region’s telecommunications infrastructure. This new development enhances much needed subsea diversification of routes, paving the way for unparalleled international connectivity into the heart of the Middle East.”
The Al Khaleej Cable is expected to become ready for service by Q2 of 2026.
