Ooredoo Group and du Join Forces to Land the FIG Subsea Cable in the UAE, Boosting Regional High-Capacity Connectivity

Ooredoo Group has announced a landmark partnership with UAE telecommunications operator du to land the Fibre in the Gulf (FIG) subsea cable system in the UAE, marking a significant milestone in the development of one of the most ambitious high-capacity international connectivity platforms ever built in the Gulf region.

The GCC's Largest Subsea Cable System

FIG holds the distinction of being the largest subsea cable system ever built in the GCC, engineered to deliver an unprecedented capacity of up to 720 terabits per second (Tbps) across 24 fibre pairs. The system is being developed to meet sustained and growing demand from hyperscalers, cloud providers, AI platforms, and data centre operators, enabling efficient and low-latency data flows across Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Oman.

The project is led by Ooredoo Fibre Networks (OFN), the recently established independent entity created to manage and scale Ooredoo Group's international connectivity and subsea infrastructure investments, under the leadership of CEO Khalid Al Hamadi.

UAE Landing Strengthens Regional Connectivity Architecture

The landing of the FIG cable at du's cable station in the UAE adds significant depth to the system's overall architecture, supporting more diversified data routing and strengthening the efficiency of regional and intercontinental connectivity between the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. The UAE landing also introduces greater route diversity and redundancy, providing alternative data pathways that enhance connectivity resilience and support uninterrupted international data flows.

Leadership Perspectives

Commenting on the partnership, Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, Group CEO of Ooredoo, said, "FIG reflects our continued focus on building high-capacity, resilient connectivity infrastructure aligned with how demand is evolving. This partnership with du marks another step in the execution of the project. Combined with the progress already made across other landing points, it reinforces the role of international connectivity in supporting the region's long-term digital growth."

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du, highlighted the strategic significance of the landing for the UAE and its broader digital ambitions. "Landing the FIG subsea cable in the UAE strengthens our international connectivity capabilities and reinforces the UAE's position as a leading global hub for data, cloud and AI. Our partnership with Ooredoo enables the scale, resilience and performance required to support hyperscalers, enterprises and digital ecosystems as demand for advanced connectivity continues to grow. This initiative aligns with the UAE's digital transformation and economic agenda, supporting the nation's vision to build a globally competitive, knowledge-based digital economy," he said.

Powering the Next Chapter of Regional Digital Growth

FIG is designed to support the next phase of digital infrastructure development across the Gulf region, delivering scalable and high-capacity routes for cross-border data exchange and enabling continued growth in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services. With each new landing secured, the FIG system moves closer to becoming the backbone of regional digital connectivity for years to come.