Muscat, 20 Nov 2023 – AWASR, a leading fibre broadband provider in Oman, Alliance Networks, a regional digital infrastructure service provider, and Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), a world-leading Internet Exchange provider, have joined forces to launch Oman Internet Exchange (Oman-IX). The neutral and ground-breaking Internet Exchange aims to revolutionize digital infrastructure services in the region by interconnecting industry-leading organizations, networks, data centres, and cloud services across the Middle East and beyond.

The new Internet Exchange, Oman-IX, will be owned by AWASR, an established player in the telecommunications industry. AWASR aims to establish an Internet Exchange node in Oman as part of its commitment to enhancing connectivity and fostering digital growth in the Sultanate. They will leverage Alliance Networks’ experience in the region, known for its extensive network reach and expertise in providing advanced connectivity and digital solutions, and collaborate with AMS-IX to provide the desired technical world-class experiences in establishing and operating Internet exchanges.

Engineer Adnan Al-Alawi, CEO of AWASR, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to embark on this transformative collaboration with Alliance Networks and AMS-IX. The launch of Oman-IX will unlock new horizons for the Sultanate of Oman, enabling efficient exchange of internet traffic and promoting digital innovation across industries.”

Adel Al Daylami, CEO of Alliance Networks, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, saying, “Alliance Networks is dedicated to providing reliable and robust digital infrastructure services in the region. Partnering with AWASR and AMS-IX to establish Oman-IX aligns with our mission to interconnect networks and promote seamless data exchange across borders. Together with AWASR, we look forward to creating a strong digital ecosystem in Oman.”

Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX, highlighted the significance of this venture, stating, “We are delighted to contribute our expertise in Internet Exchange services to this partnership. The collaboration between AWASR, Alliance Networks, and AMS-IX will empower Oman’s digital landscape and accelerate the country’s connectivity to global networks via public peering. Oman-IX will serve as a vital hub for internet traffic exchange, enabling an enhanced user experience and fostering digital innovation.”

Through this mutually beneficial partnership, AWASR, Alliance Networks, and AMS-IX will collaborate to build digital infrastructure services, leveraging Alliance’s infrastructure, AWASR’s expertise, and Oman’s Internet Exchange capabilities. Oman-IX will serve as a hub for aggregating IP peering traffic from both local and global networks within Oman, facilitating the exchange of peering traffic through AMS-IX Internet Exchange to other international internet exchanges.

The new Internet Exchange powered by AMS-IX will be situated in the MC1 carrier-neutral data centre of Equinix in Muscat. Implementation and go-live of the new Internet Exchange are expected in Q4 of this year.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in the development of Oman’s digital landscape, underlining the commitment of AWASR, Alliance Networks, and AMS-IX to revolutionizing connectivity and digital infrastructure in the region.