Unveiling of ‘Zain Omantel International’ (ZOI) to revolutionize the telecommunications landscape

Key highlights:

• ZOI will become the leading wholesale provider in the Middle East, serving local operators, international carriers, and global hyperscalers.
• The partnership brings growth opportunities, benefiting Zain and Omantel customers with reliable internet, voice, roaming, and messaging.
• Sohail Qadir becomes CEO of ZOI.

Zain, a prominent telecommunications operator offering digital and ICT services in multiple markets across the Middle East and Africa, and Omantel, the leading integrated telecommunications services provider in Oman and a major player in the regional wholesale market, have joined forces to introduce ‘Zain Omantel International’ (ZOI), a groundbreaking joint venture. ZOI is set to become the leading international wholesale services provider in the Middle East, leveraging the combined expertise of both companies. This strategic partnership aims to revolutionize the wholesale telecommunications industry, offering customers worldwide unmatched service and support.

The establishment of ZOI marks a significant leap forward in the telecommunications sector, with the potential to become a major global player. This is attributed to Zain’s strong foothold and achievements in retail and digital services across the region, complemented by Omantel’s exceptional wholesale expertise and extensive international subsea and terrestrial networks. The joint venture aims to meet the comprehensive telecommunications requirements of Middle Eastern operators, as well as international carriers, data centers, hyperscalers, content providers, and cloud providers seeking services both within and beyond the region.

ZOI will take charge of overseeing the international wholesale operations of Zain and Omantel in eight countries, catering to a customer base of over 55 million individuals. Additionally, ZOI aims to enhance the efficiency of both companies’ existing wholesale businesses by reducing operational expenses and improving competitiveness. This will be achieved through access to cutting-edge, low-latency, and high-capacity services across an expanded network coverage area.

Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO commented, “This strategic value-enhancing partnership reflects the next stage of industry collaboration and advancement, and represents another significant milestone of our ‘4Sight’ profitable growth strategy. It also demonstrates our commitment to transforming the business and creating synergies while extending our reach and capabilities to provide the highest quality services to our customers. ZOI is ideally positioned to evolve into a significant international player on the wholesale telecommunications scene that will benefit both Zain and Omantel on financial, commercial and operational levels.”

Talal Al Mamari, Omantel CEO, added, “The joint venture with Zain is a testament to our unwavering commitment to transforming the international arm of Omantel group into a leading global provider, building on our existing position as a top regional wholesale player. ZOI is poised to become the primary gateway from our region to the rest of the world, leveraging the combined strengths of Omantel and Zain. With these differentiating factors, ZOI is the preferred partner with a truly unique presence in the international telecommunications landscape.”

Through collaborative efforts with Omantel and Zain Group operating companies, ZOI is committed to delivering exceptional international services to Zain and Omantel customers. This includes maintaining supreme quality in areas such as internet connectivity, voice services, roaming, messaging, and more. ZOI, along with its consortium partners, will undertake significant projects that contribute to the region’s unmatched ecosystem. These include the development of notable initiatives like Blue-Raman, Africa-1, Jeddah to Marseille (J2M) subsea systems, as well as an extensive terrestrial network connecting various regional countries to landing stations and data centers. These high-profile projects are set to establish an ecosystem that stands unparalleled in the region.

The CEO role at ZOI has been entrusted to Sohail Qadir, a highly accomplished professional. Mr. Qadir has a remarkable track record of achievements, particularly in the development and expansion of Omantel’s international wholesale business. Throughout his impressive 13-year tenure as the Vice President of Wholesale at Omantel, he successfully elevated the company’s global standing and achieved a tenfold increase in revenues. Mr. Qadir’s leadership drove a transformative journey for Omantel Wholesale, marked by significant investments in over 20 subsea cables, partnerships with global hyperscalers, direct interconnections with major international service providers, and extensive roaming coverage worldwide.

Sohail Qadir, ZOI CEO said, “The region has matured in terms of the scope and consumption of reliable wholesale services, and this strategic partnership in this integral part of the telecommunications business is well-timed to capitalize on global trends. I look forward to leading ZOI in delivering differentiated services to regional and international customers alike, and providing increased value and enhanced customer-experience to all associated stakeholders across our extensive operational footprint.”