The new point of presence, in Erbil, is the carrier’s first in the country
TIM’s wholesale carrier Sparkle has opened of a new point of presence (PoP) in Erbil, Iraq, in cooperation with Novel Point an Iraqi international provider of connectivity and ICT solutions. The PoP utilises Novel Point’s open data centre and Sparkle’s Tier 1 global IP backbone Seabone (AS6762) to deliver internet connectivity services to the Iraqi market as well as to neighbouring countries.
Sparkle said that by connecting to its PoP in Erbil, network providers, ISPs, OTTs, content and application providers as well as enterprises can now benefit from “reliable, low latency IP Transit services in scalable multiples ranging from 10GB to 100GB”. In addition, customers can gain access to Sparkle’s IP portfolio including DDoS Protection – that grants customers the option to self-protect their networks from attacks – and Virtual NAP, which provides virtual access to Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) without the need to build proprietary infrastructure.
“With the opening of our PoP in Erbil, Sparkle further expands its global network while acting as an accelerator for the development of value-added digital services in the region”, said Sparkle CEO Enrico Bagnasco.
“This strategic undertaking, capitalising on the robust Sparkle Seabone IP backbone, represents a pivotal opportunity for Iraq to leverage its geographical advantage and align with the government’s agenda to fortify its burgeoning digital economy”, said Novel Point CEO Govan Shukri.
“It brings me great joy to witness the increasing interest of prominent international telecom companies, such as Sparkle, a Tier-1 operator with global presence, in the Iraqi telecom market,” said Hiyam Al-Yasr the Iraqi minister of communications. “The collaboration between Sparkle and Novel is commendable initiative that aligns well with the strategic vision of the Iraqi government to advance the digitalisation of our nation and position it prominently in the realm of international data traffic.”
“This partnership is seen as a positive step towards achieving our goals, and we anticipate that it will provide both international and local enterprises a significant tool to enhance their operational efficiency within Iraq,” he added.