Etisalat and Sap tie-up
for LTE roaming hub

Sap AG has announced an IPX peering agreement with Etisalat UAE, the largest telecom operator in the Middle East and Africa, to deliver LTE roaming traffic to all mobile operators.

The agreement further strengthens the commitment of Sap Mobile Services, a division of Sap, to quickly and efficiently expand the LTE roaming community and create a seamless global roaming experience for mobile subscribers.
The LTE roaming and diameter peering agreement will help Etisalat operator companies to interconnect with Sap Mobile Services’ strong IPX customer community and launch LTE roaming quickly. The agreement will also help Sap Mobile Services establish strong and steady growth in the Middle East and build on existing LTE roaming peering between the two companies. “We are committed to expanding the global peering community. Launching the LTE roaming peering hub enables Sap Mobile Services to rapidly and efficiently launch peering with other operator communities across the world and deliver increased business value to mobile operators,” said Matthew Tonkin, vice president, sales, IPX, Sap Mobile Services.

“The next 12 months will see an acceleration of LTE network deployments, with operators looking for immediate and comprehensive international coverage. Collaboration with Etisalat, currently the only Middle Eastern IPX, provider helps Sap reach the largest operator community in the region and globally,” Tonkin added.

Ali Amiri, executive vice president, carrier and wholesale services Etisalat UAE said: “The agreement will also help Sap Mobile Services to establish a strong and steady growth in the Middle East and take LTE roaming services to a new level, building on the existing LTE roaming peering between the two companies.”

“Etisalat SmartHub IPX is a strategic addition to the Etisalat SmartHub portfolio, which will enhance our role as a global communication hub. Sap will be an important part of this journey. Operators joining the Smarthub IPX will have access to the SAP community and vice versa, providing a single point of interconnect,” Amiri added.