Equinix and the Oman Telecommunications Company have launched a data center in Barka, near Oman’s capital, Muscat.

The Equinix data center will serve as a regional interconnection hub, and benefits from connections to Omantel's cable landing stations (CLS), and several submarine cables that are linked directly to MC1.

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A map of Omantel's cable network and its Barka CLS – Omantel

Equinix's first in Oman

Equinix and Omantel announced the partnership back in 2018, and have now launched Equinix’s first data center in the country and its fourth across the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).

Operated by Equinix, the site covers around 23,600 sq ft (2,200 sq m) of colocation space and 725 cabinets. The site also has space to expand to more than 2,150 cabinets.

MC1 will also link customers with 30+ markets via the Equinix Internet Exchange platform.

Omantel says its network reaches over 50 countries globally. It currently has investments in more than 20 cable systems and leverages six CLS in Oman and one in Marseille, France. Due to its Omantel links, MC1 will benefit from any further submarine cable investments by the telco.

We are seeing accelerated demand for digital transformation in MEN," Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, Equinix president of EMEA, said.

"Our partnership with Omantel greatly supports our ability to meet this need, particularly as our customers can now leverage Omantel's significant subsea cable infrastructure."

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