{"id":40859,"date":"2019-09-02T08:15:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-02T07:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/?p=40859"},"modified":"2019-09-05T11:37:12","modified_gmt":"2019-09-05T10:37:12","slug":"ciena-provides-foundation-for-new-batelco-gulf-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/2019\/09\/02\/ciena-provides-foundation-for-new-batelco-gulf-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Ciena provides foundation for new Batelco Gulf Network"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Batelco has selected Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the new Batelco Gulf Network Cable System which connects all countries across the GCC as a reliable alternative to  submarine cables with greater scalable capacity and shorter inter-Gulf latency. This runs over a state-of-the-art optical transport network and provides Bahrain with a new international gateway enabling it to deal with mission critical traffic.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batelco, the Bahrain Telecommunications Company, the leading digital services provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has selected Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the new Batelco Gulf Network (BGN). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BGN runs\nover a state-of-the-art optical transport network (OTN) to meet the demand for\nreliable and cost-effective high bandwidth connectivity and capacity for Batelco\ncustomers and international carriers\u2019 wholesale needs, supporting up to 8.8Tbps\nand beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BGN cable\nsystem will be connecting all the countries across the GCC (Gulf Cooperation\nCouncil) in the Arabian Gulf region. Consumers and businesses across the GCC\nare consuming more OTT (Over-The-Top) content such as HD video and services\nfrom local and international providers, driving demand for additional\nhigh-speed connectivity services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BGN\nterrestrial fibre cable extends 1,400km and is managed by Batelco with full\ncontrol and manageability and can be interconnected with other regional and\nglobal cable systems for access to onward connectivity to Europe, Asia, Africa\nand the rest of the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batelco Chief Global Business Officer, Adel Al-Daylami, said that Batelco chose to invest in the Batelco Gulf Network as a fully owned and managed terrestrial fibre optic cable network, thus providing the country with a new state-of-the-art international gateway that will enable Bahrain to meet the growing demand for data services and applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe BGN is a\nreliable alternative to more vulnerable submarine cables, all with scalable\ncapacity and the shortest inter-Gulf latency. This new partnership with Ciena\nwill enable us to achieve all of this,\u201d Al-Daylami added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virginie Hollebecque, Managing Director for Western Europe and the Middle East, Cien, said: \u201cCiena is delighted to partner with Batelco on the Batelco Gulf Network, which will enhance communications and deliver world class networking services for customers, and position Bahrain as a regional leader and innovator in telecoms services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCiena is\ncommitted to supporting Batelco through our extensive global experience and\nexpertise, and comprehensive professional services in the region, to deliver\nhighly secure and reliable connectivity to Batelco and its customers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligent CIO<\/em> spoke to Virginie Hollebecque, Managing Director for Western Europe and the Middle East, Ciena, to find out more about the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Virginie Hollebecque, Managing Director for Western Europe and the Middle East, Ciena <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How far\nhas the project positioned Bahrain as a regional leader and innovator in\ntelecoms services?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kingdom\nof Bahrain is emerging as a regional leader in Digital Transformation as it has\nbeen an early adopter of reforms to support technology-driven businesses and\nempower them to drive the economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batelco\u2019s efforts\nare aligned with the Kingdom\u2019s Vision 2030 and the Government Action Plan\n2019-2022 in positioning Bahrain as a major hub for ICT and data movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ciena is a global and a diversified company used to deal with mission critical traffic. Therefore, on a business perspective, we leverage our resources to facilitate Batelco extending its international market by providing the underlying packet optical technology for the Batelco Global Network (BGN). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This partnership has the main goal of\nensuring scalability and reliability of our network platforms which is\nparamount for a successful project.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you\nexplain the nature of your partnership with Batelco?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batelco has selected Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the Batelco Global Network (BGN). The BGN runs over a state-of-the-art optical transport network (OTN) to meet the demand for reliable and cost-effective high bandwidth connectivity and capacity for Batelco customers and international carriers\u2019 wholesale needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, we are\nseeing an increasing bandwidth growth backed by the need for high quality\nsoftware control and agile connectivity. Businesses rely on their network 24\/7\nand they are looking for an always-on, responsive and high-quality experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, we\nalso see a strong trend in telcos towards the adoption of Adaptive Network,\nwhich is a new approach that expands on autonomous networking concepts to\ntransform the static network into a dynamic, programmable environment driven by\nanalytics and intelligence. This is a network that can grow with a company as\nits business needs and markets change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\nthrilled to have partnered with Batelco, as the backbone of BGN answers the growing\ndemand of high-speed and low-latency connectivity solutions of the customers in\nBahrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you\nexplain how the project can ensure reliable connectivity to Batelco and its\ncustomers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BGN\nsupports high bandwidths in order to meet the demand for reliable and cost-effective\nconnectivity and capacity for Batelco customers and international carriers\u2019\nwholesale needs. The BGN cable system connects UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, KSA, Kuwait\nand beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long\ndid the project take to implement and were there any particular challenges that\nneeded to be overcome?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project was completed in a record time and is live now carrying mission critical traffic for Batelco customers. Since Batelco needs and their customers\u2019 needs are constantly changing, the network is designed in a way to support these needs with minimal disruption.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you\nhave any similar projects planned for the region?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes.\nWe have similar projects in the region. Like many other parts of the world, the\nMiddle East region has embraced the impact of digitisation and service providers\nare taking steps to create more reliable and adaptive networks that can cater\nto user demands for higher bandwidth services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ciena\u2019s\naim is to work with service providers in the region to enable a better-connected\nsociety; while creating opportunities for more and more people to join our\nthriving digital economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\nsuccessfully does the optical transport network (OTN) meet Batelco\u2019s demand for\nreliable and cost-effective high bandwidth connectivity and capacity?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OTN is a\nnext-generation, industry-standard protocol that provides an efficient and\nglobally accepted way to multiplex different services onto optical light paths.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To meet Batelco\u2019s requirements, we understand it is paramount to quickly evolve to deal with an explosion of digital traffic driven by multimedia services, mobile applications, social media, VoIP and cloud computing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, most\nnetwork traffic is packet-based, generated by a multitude of services and\napplications in bursty, unpredictable traffic patterns, with widely varying and\nmore stringent demands on bandwidth and data transmission performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, OTN wraps each client payload transparently into a container for transport across optical networks, preserving the client\u2019s native structure, timing information and management information. The enhanced multiplexing capability of OTN allows different traffic types- including Ethernet, storage and digital video, as well as SONET\/SDH – to be carried over a single Optical Transport Unit frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OTN\u2019s cost-effectiveness, ease of implementation and simplicity offer companies a straightforward, painless solution to evolving network needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition\nto scaling the network to 100G and beyond, OTN plays a key role in making the\nnetwork an open and programmable platform, enabling transport to become as\nimportant as computing and storage in intelligent data centre networking.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligent CIO<\/em> spoke to Adel Al-Daylami, Chief Global Business Officer at Batelco, to ask further questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Adel Al-Daylami, Chief Global Business Officer at Batelco <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What were the main reasons you decided to select Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the new Batelco Global Network?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have selected Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the new BGN as it is a leader in providing future-proof technology to meet the growing demand of our customers. Furthermore, Ciena\u2019s expertise enables us to achieve our vision and commitment in ensuring BGN is a reliable alternative to more vulnerable submarine cables, all with scalable capacity and the shortest inter-Gulf latency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We strongly believe this partnership caters for the growing digital economy, which is underpinned by the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC in the field of communications. Batelco\u2019s comprehensive plans are designed to support the establishment of a robust national and international infrastructure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are\ncommitted to strengthening our delivery to contribute towards Bahrain’s\npresence as a major ICT hub, and we hope to build on this platform to ensure\nfuture success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has\nBatelco seen an increase in demand for high-speed connectivity services? If so,\nwhat are the reasons behind this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumers and\nbusinesses across the GCC are consuming more OTT (Over-The-Top) content such as\nHD videos and services from local and international providers, driving demand\nfor additional high-speed connectivity services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally,\nthe Middle East telecom sector is witnessing an exponential growth of opportunities\nfor operators to transform their revenue models through the introduction of new\nand innovative digital services related to data, content, OTT communications,\nIoT, 5G, eCommerce, mobile payments or managed services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in\norder to create these new revenue streams, service providers need to build the\nplatform on which they can deploy cutting-edge technologies with guaranteed\nspeed, performance, reliability and scalability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you\nexplain the importance of the Batelco Global Network to Bahrain?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are the\nleading digital solutions provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain with a commitment\nto enhance customer experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Batelco we\nserve both the corporate and consumer markets through the delivery of\ncutting-edge fixed and wireless telecommunications solutions. Our comprehensive\nportfolio of solutions for the residential, business and government segments in\nBahrain include all IP fixed and 4G LTE wireless Home Internet networks, 5G and\nMPLS based regional data solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batelco\u2019s\ndigitisation and connectivity goals are in line with those of the Kingdom of\nBahrain to transform how businesses operate as well as transform the lives of\nresidents, enabling everyone to connect, work and live better through the\ndelivery of technology-based products and solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an on-going\ncommitment to roll out Smart Home and Smart City digital solutions, Batelco is\nplaying a crucial role in the Kingdom\u2019s prosperity and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is the\nBGN a reliable alternative to more vulnerable submarine cables?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BGN\nfeatures alternative pathways for submerged underwater routes, and with the\nintroduction of the protection enhancement, customers can enjoy high reliable\nworry-free solutions allowing them to run their operations smoothly and\nfacilitating the introduction of new and innovative services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is\nthe importance of having \u2018the shortest inter-Gulf latency\u2019?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low latency,\nwhen coupled with reliable and scalable capacity, enables a myriad of new use\ncases, especially as applications are increasingly migrating to the cloud data\ncentres, so having the lowest latency allows operators to differentiate their\nservice offerings, while allowing end-users to benefit from and leverage the improved\noverall network performance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Batelco has selected Ciena\u2019s Converged Packet Optical Platform as the foundation for the new Batelco Gulf Network Cable System which connects all countries across the GCC as a reliable alternative to  submarine cables with greater scalable capacity and shorter inter-Gulf latency. This runs over a state-of-the-art optical transport network and provides Bahrain with a new international gateway enabling […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":40863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,93,3629,389,13,79],"tags":[4095,458,762,10073,365,300,1072,4099,288,9098],"class_list":["post-40859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-case-studies","category-main-story-newsletter","category-newsletter","category-telecom","category-top-stories","category-used","tag-adel-al-daylami","tag-bahrain","tag-batelco","tag-cable-system","tag-ciena","tag-gcc","tag-gulf","tag-keri-gilder","tag-network","tag-virginie-hollebecque"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40859"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41096,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40859\/revisions\/41096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/me\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}