Etisalat has announced a significant increase in Internet bandwidth in the UAE with a total of 33 STM1 links being provisioned to meet user needs, compared to 15 in 2004. The increase in STM-1 links was done by Etisalat division EMIX (Emirates Internet Exchange), the first Network Access Point (NAP) in the Middle East offering IP transit connectivity to ISPs in the region. The increased capacity of 5.1 Gbps (Gigabits per second) is the highest bandwidth capacity available with any single provider in the region.
This increased capacity will ensure that there would be more than adequate bandwidth available for Internet users to meet their Internet needs. Out of these 33 links, 1 STM- 4(equal to 4 STM -1) link have been commissioned on the new SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable to cater to the rapidly growing demand for international high-speed connectivity. This is the third cable system in addition to SEA-ME-WE-3 and FLAG and demonstrates Etisalat’s intent to broaden the distribution of bandwidth in the UAE in order to ensure redundancy of operations.
The increase in bandwidth and the upgradation of equipments which have warranted such significant investments in infrastructure have been done with a view to ensure an unmatched quality of service and a world class Internet experience to consumers in the UAE. This capacity expansion with increased links to major global Internet hubs will benefit customers by helping to avoid disconnection to the Internet in the event of any disruption and ensure that traffic is re-routed to other links if disruptions occur in a particular link /path.
Rashid Ali Al-Ali, Marketing Manager, EMIX, said: “EMIX works hard to distinguish its business beyond selling capacity to enhancing its valued customers’ capabilities. Now with this unmatched capacity and with our network of peering agreements, EMIX is in a position to better serve its clients around the region, thereby helping drive the benefits of the Internet to the end user.”
According to Abdulla Hashim, Senior Manager, eCompany, “Etisalat has always believed in providing a world class infrastructure to support our customers in the UAE. This increase in Internet bandwidth will be more than adequate to meet the user needs of customers and especially in broadband given user propensity for high bandwidth requirements related to peer to peer, file sharing, gaming and downloads. This will help in giving our customers a better online experience in terms of faster response times.”
He added. “Internet traffic has also increased and a closer analysis reveals that 46 per cent of the total capacity is used for outgoing traffic, which shows that more local sites are being accessed in the UAE. This can be attributed to increased eCommerce activities, people looking for information on UAE such as tourists, businessmen, increased email traffic etc., all of which reflects the growing importance of the Internet in the knowledge economy of today.”
