The Egyptian government has successfully concluded agreements with three major mobile operators—Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and e& Egypt—for the second phase of issuing 5G licenses. This announcement was made by Amr Talaat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, who emphasized that these agreements are set to significantly enhance 5G services, improve communication quality, and increase network capacity to ensure peak performance.
Talaat affirmed Egypt’s readiness to adopt and implement the latest 5G technologies, aiming to boost service quality and expand mobile network capabilities. This step is crucial for Egypt’s ambition to offer its citizens cutting-edge technological services.
From the sale of 5G service licenses to the nation’s four telecom operators, which include Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, e& Egypt, and the state-owned Telecom Egypt, the government has reportedly generated approximately $675 million.
Earlier in January 2024, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) granted Telecom Egypt a 15-year 5G service license for $150 million, marking it as the first Egyptian mobile operator to secure such a license. It was noted, however, that this license would not be automatically renewed upon expiration and comes without any additional privileges.
Following this, Telecom Egypt announced its plans to roll out Egypt’s inaugural 5G network within the year, initially launching services in select cities. The company has chosen Nokia’s 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment for this deployment, which includes baseband units and advanced Massive MIMO radios.
The minister highlighted that these new agreements are in line with the government’s strategy to provide advanced technological services that support crucial sectors like smart cities, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture. These sectors increasingly rely on IoT technologies that are powered by 5G connectivity.
He also pointed out the significance of cooperation among Egypt’s four telecom companies in ensuring the ongoing development of services, which will benefit the citizens and bolster the IT sector’s contribution to the country’s economic expansion.
With a mobile phone penetration rate nearing 95%, accounting for over 100 million subscriptions, and an internet penetration rate of 49%, Egypt is keen on advancing its digitalization efforts. As part of its “Vision 2030” strategy, the government has introduced “Digital Egypt,” a comprehensive initiative aimed at laying the groundwork for Egypt’s transition into a fully digital society.
