Gulf Bridge International (GBI) responds to the whitepaper’s evaluation

Qatar – GBI (Gulf Bridge International), a global cloud, connectivity and content enabler, has responded to the recently released Analysys Mason whitepaper, ‘The role of subsea cables in the economic transformation in the Middle East’. The paper explores the exploding demand for high-quality connectivity in the region and beyond, delving into what’s causing the surge, the opportunities for wholesalers and enterprises and why subsea cable providers located in the Middle East are uniquely positioned to meet these new and complex requirements globally.

According to Analysys Mason, “subsea cables are the backbone of modern communications and are of vital importance to economics across the world.” Responsible for carrying the majority of the world’s data and voice transmissions, there are more than 390 in operation globally, with 30 in the MENA region. The criticalness of such infrastructure is due to the rapidly increasing demand for bandwidth. Between 2014 and 2019, it is estimated that, in the GCC region alone, the number of individuals using internet grew at a CAGR of 8% to 56 million, while international bandwidth grew with a CAGR of 46% – each individual is demanding more bandwidth.

The rising demand for more bandwidth coincides with a need for low latency, highly reliable connectivity. These connectivity characteristics are among the most vital factors in enhancing network performance. With users now requiring global networks to support mission critical tasks and an ever-more diverse range of use cases – from traditional voice and data transmission to gaming, AI development and healthcare – they need their connectivity providers to ensure the most direct route between endpoints to lower latency and optimised connectivity. Therefore, providers which possess a multilayer terrestrial and subsea cable meshed smart network  are best suited to deliver, with those in the Middle East found to be even more equipped through ideal geographical placement to bridge East to the West and North to South.

Cengiz Oztelcan, CEO of GBI, comments: “The Analysys Mason whitepaper sets out just how vital subsea cables are to global economies and the continued development of all nations across the planet. High quality connectivity, which means low latency and reliable connections, is essential to meeting new demands and that requires continued investment into cable infrastructure.

“GBI is among the most connected carrier’s carriers in the region, moreover we possess all the provisions required for high quality global connectivity. Our location means we provide the most direct routes between Asia and Europe, with our GBI Smart Network runs through Turkey to major European points of presence and also through the Red Sea to Italy. We have all routes covered meaning we’re the connectivity hub for the GCC region and much further afield. It’s a really exciting time to be in the connectivity space and there’s plenty of opportunities for wholesalers and enterprises to deliver for their customers and users.”

Brendan Press, CCO of GBI, adds: “The GCC region has seen huge growth in recent years and there are still significant opportunities as smart connectivity leads to a further acceleration in digital transformation. The GCC is developing as a hub for access to cloud services,enabling businesses and governments to develop and benefit from an expanding suite of services. Now is the time for telcos and enterprises to focus on optimising connectivity to build a competitive advantage as the market appetite for new service grows rapidly. It’s the providers that can deliver trusted and optimised connectivity now that will provide a platform for digital services and regional growth prospects.”