Tata Communications, a provider of connectivity services to companies and other enterprises, said it has won a ‘Type B’ telecom license in Saudi Arabia to bolster its enterprise offering in the Middle East.
Tata Communications is already providing some telecom services in the country, but as a foreign service provider.
With the new license, it will be able to provide it as a local provider, with billing in local currency.
“Through this licence, Tata Communications will now become a carrier-neutral service provider to OTTs, large enterprises and MNCs in the region,” the company said.
“By securing this telecom license in KSA, we will be able to seamlessly bring carrier-neutral services like internet connectivity, public/private cloud, cyber security, borderless mobility and more such services to the region. This will help simplify the digital experience for our customers and aid them in transforming their businesses in the new normal,” Vaneet Mehta, head of Middle East, Central Asia & Africa, Tata Communications.
Tata Communications is one of the world’s largest whole sale connectivity providers and owns the largest single-entity owned fiber network and is also the only company to own a subsea network that encircles the globe.
Today, around 30% of the world’s Internet routes travel over Tata Communications’ network. The company is one of the half a dozen or so Tier 1 connectivity providers in the world and connects over 200 countries.
The new license will help the company tap into the demand for more well-rounded connectivity solutions from enterprises in the COVID-19 era.
“COVID-19 has resulted in a paradigm shift in the way businesses and people operate. To succeed in this new normal, enterprises need to adapt their business models in favour of digital first solutions,” it claimed.
TCom said it will offer “network transformation services in KSA” and will address internet, network security, private cloud and SDWAN requirements of companies in the region.
“A strong digital backbone has become essential for businesses to address the changes in the industry landscape,” said Mehta.
The company said changes in business regulations in KSA are increasingly making it attractive for global businesses.
“The Type B license enables Tata Communications to expand its reach in the Middle East, leveraging its global expertise and capabilities coupled with regional knowledge and experience to cater to the new customer requirements.”