Ooredoo Group is spinning off its international fibre and subsea cable assets into a standalone unit as it positions for a surge in AI-driven data traffic between Europe and Asia.
The new entity, Ooredoo Fibre Networks, will oversee and expand the Qatari telecom operator’s cross-border connectivity and subsea infrastructure portfolio. The carve-out is set to conclude by 2027, with Khalid Hassan Al-Hamadi appointed CEO.
The move supports Ooredoo’s strategy to increase the share of revenue from international infrastructure and subsea cables from 3% to 12% over time. The company is betting that hyperscalers and AI platforms will fuel sustained growth in cross-border data flows.
Ooredoo is building one of the GCC’s largest subsea and transport fibre networks, positioning itself as a digital bridge between Europe and Asia. A key project is the 1,900-kilometer FIG subsea system, developed with Alcatel Submarine Networks, alongside broader regional connectivity investments.
The push comes as rivals advance competing routes. An Iraqi-Emirati consortium is planning a $700 million UAE-Turkey cable via Iraq under the WorldLink banner, while Saudi Arabia and Syria have unveiled a roughly $1 billion SilkLink fibre project to establish Syria as a data transit corridor.
📌 Why it matters:
AI workloads, cloud expansion and cross-border data traffic are reshaping global telecom economics. By separating its fibre and subsea assets, Ooredoo is positioning itself to attract capital, scale faster and compete with regional projects vying to become the main digital bridge between Europe and Asia.
📌 Bottom line:
Ooredoo’s fibre spin-off signals a strategic pivot from traditional telecom services toward high-growth international infrastructure — a bet that AI-driven data flows will turn Gulf cable corridors into critical global assets.
