GBI cable ready for service

Gulf Bridge International (GBI) and its technology partner TE SubCom have announced that the GBI undersea cable system is now ready for service, providing high speed submarine fibre connectivity between Qatar, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia, with onward connectivity to India and Europe. Additional connectivity is set to be added to the system in the coming months, according to the company’s press release. Ahmed Mekky, CEO of GBI, said: ‘Our high capacity system addresses increasing demand and will foster economic and social growth throughout all Gulf countries.’ The GBI cable system, with an initial capacity of 5.18Tbps, is designed to enable future network expansion, and is configured in a self-healing ring with the aim of maximising service quality. Debra Brask, managing director, TE SubCom, noted that the project was constructed with the firm’s proprietary undersea OADM switching technology, designed to enhance network resiliency and flexibility.