Batelco ties with e& to expand connectivity reach

Bahrain Telecommunication Company (Batelco) has teamed up with the Carrier and Wholesale division of e& to expand its connectivity reach.

The partnership aims to develop a new point-of-presence (POP) in the ADX-listed firm’s SmartHub, one of the carrier-neutral data centres in the UAE, to enable Batelco’s business customers to deploy inclusive interconnection capabilities globally.

The SmartHub ecosystem of interconnected communities will provide the Bahrain-based company’s clients with seamless reachability to Eastern destinations, including Pakistan and India, as well as access to the lowest latency and enhanced connectivity performance.

Commenting on the deal, Hani Askar, Batelco’s Chief Global Business Officer, said: “The launch of our new POP in e&’s SmartHub is in line with Batelco’s network optimisation plans. We are pleased to build on our partnership with e& by establishing a physical presence in SmartHub to expand our connectivity through interconnecting with many new partners, with a focus on enhancing links to the subcontinent to meet our customers’ needs.”

Nabil Baccouche, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, e&, added: “SmartHub is an innovative regional exchange, capacity and mobility platform that clients and partners rely on for their business-critical requirements. Our SmartHub data centres have always been the ICT nexus between countries and continents, meeting clients’ ever-evolving needs across the globe. In line with our overall strategy to bring transformative technologies and innovative solutions to our customers and partners, we stay committed to delivering a superior customer experience through creating and deploying unique digitalisation services. We are proud of our partnership with Batelco wherein we can create a thriving interconnection ecosystem that benefits customers.”