Due to be deployed before the end of this year, the 400G-capable network will deliver cost-effective, high-speed broadband to 3.5 million people, paving the way for such new services as FTTx, IoT and IPTV, among others.

Nokia has been named as the equipment partner and will set up 60 new nodes, one in each exchange as part of the build.

Dr Alaa Mousa, deputy CEO at Earthlink, said: ‘We are excited to be working with Nokia for the crucial project of setting up future-ready agile and resilient IP Metro network for the National Backbone that will empower Iraqis to benefit from high-speed broadband for overall economic and social growth. We are committed to working with the Government to provide a robust and resilient network that will play a critical role in Iraq’s growth as a technology leader.’

Nokia’s FP4-based 7750 Service Router-s (SR-s) and 7250 Interconnect Router (IXR), will both feature in the project, allowing the initial 100G capacity network to be scaled to 400G as and when required.

Earthlink will be able to automate the network with the Nokia Network Services Platform (NSP) leading to simplified management, reduced costs, and improved network responsiveness and resiliency. Nokia will also provide I&C and professional services for the project.

Mohamed Faisal, head of the Iraq customer business team at Nokia, said: ‘As the digital ecosystem becomes all-pervasive, new applications stemming from 5G, IoT and Industry 4.0 place new demands on the networks. The new-age networks are required to handle hundreds of new applications and services for millions of users.

‘Our field-proven 7750 SR and 7250 IXR routers are designed to deliver massive scale while ensuring extreme availability and superior quality. We are thrilled to work with Earthlink to build the Iraqi National Backbone to address the growing demand for high-speed broadband,” he added.