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Telecom Egypt Secures 4G License, Bringing 4G Speeds Closer to a Reality in Egypt

September 2, 2016
A Telecom Egypt building is seen at the Smart Village in the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, October 27, 2015. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

State-owned telecommunications company Telecom Egypt has become Egypt’s fourth mobile carrier after securing a 4G mobile license. Telecom Egypt, which became the first company to acquire the 4G license in Egypt, signed a contract with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) on Tuesday. Telecom Egypt bought the license for 7.08 billion Egyptian pounds ($US 806 million, announced CEO Tamer Gad Allah at a news conference that was televised and attended by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology. The license is expected to last 15 years and can be renewed for another five years at the cost of EGP 2 billion. While Telecom Egypt has a monopoly in landline services, it had not previously attempted to independently enter the mobile market. Telecom Egypt currently owns a 45 percent stake in Vodafone Egypt, but will still provide its own mobile phone services by early 2017. Egypt’s other mobile carriers, including Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and Etisalat, have been hesitant to purchase the 4G license as a result of the price. However, foreign telecommunication companies, such as Kuwait’s Zain, have expressed their interest. Earlier this year, Egypt’s government approved a mandate by the NTRA paving…


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