The SN1 data centre in Salalah strengthens Omantel and Equinix’s commitment to global connectivity, following the success of Oman’s first carrier-neutral data centre, MC1 in Muscat.
Equinix has officially opened its new data centre in Salalah, Oman, establishing a significant new interconnectivity hub that will transform global data flows.
Located in the coastal city of Salalah, the new data centre – SN1 – is built in cooperation with Omantel, a regional leading telecom and technology provider in the Middle East. The facility is commercially and operationally managed in full by Equinix as a carrier-neutral and open-access Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data centre.
The facility is the second carrier-neutral data centre built in Oman, following the success of MC1 in Muscat, and Equinix’s sixth facility in the Middle East, complementing its existing operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
SN1’s unique location in Salalah optimises the routes of several highly strategic connections and offers more direct and cost-effective reachability for businesses and service providers across four continents.
Strategic impact on global connectivity
SN1 will significantly reshape traffic flows across the Middle East and beyond, reducing latency and improving the resilience of global networks. The facility will also feature direct fibre connectivity to Equinix’s MC1 data centre in Muscat, providing carriers, hyperscalers, content providers and cloud service providers the ability to colocate their critical infrastructure and further enhance regional operations.
“I’m delighted to inaugurate our latest strategic data centre, further showcasing our investment in Oman and the wider Middle East,” said Kamel Al-Tawil, Managing Director of Equinix MENA. “With the extension to multiple subsea cables, this new hub in Salalah will transform global connectivity across different continents and align perfectly with our strategy of creating network-dense, highly interconnected ecosystems globally.”
Talal Al Mamari, CEO of Omantel, said: “Today, we are announcing another major milestone through our partnership with Equinix. The launch of the SN1 data centre is a cornerstone of our strategy to create a global connectivity hub in Salalah. We are committed to attracting the world’s leading content providers and hyperscalers to the region, and this state-of-the-art data centre is a key part of this vision.
“By next year, we plan to land multiple subsea cables in Salalah, solidifying its status as one of the most connected hubs in the region due to its location at the crossroads of major international routes between Asia, Europe, Africa and all the way to Australia,” added Al Mamari.
Omantel’s investment in global connectivity
Over the past decade, Omantel has invested over US$1 billion in international networks and data centres, successfully attracting global hyperscalers to establish their regional hubs in Oman. On a global level, the creation of the joint venture, Zain Omantel International (ZOI), marks a significant step forward for the international business, creating a leading force in the wholesale telecom sector, delivering end-to-end connectivity solutions across the Middle East and beyond.
