At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the initial shift to the digital sphere by most businesses caused a surge in demand for ICT services, and highlighted the need to expand both infrastructure and capacity further. “People went fully digital in most aspects of their lives,” Talaat told OBG in September 2020. “The pandemic caused an immediate surge in internet usage patterns, both in terms of users and peak hours.” There was a 40% year-on-year increase in online traffic in the period between mid-March and mid-April 2020 alone, while web browsing increased by 131%, according to a report from the National Telecom Regulatory Authority. Home internet usage was up 87%, while mobile internet activity expanded by 18% over the same period. At the same time, the peak hours for internet services and applications doubled to 15 hours per day, from 12.00pm to 3.00am.
In line with the increase in demand, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) disbursed over LE61m in export subsidies to 106 ICT companies between mid-April and July 2020 through the ExportIT programme, while the MCIT increased the capacity of the country’s international gateways by over 50%. The ministry also provided hospital staff access to the internet and data at no charge, and created digital platforms for public school students to help them keep up with their studies while schools were closed.
Fixed broadband (FBB) operators worked to ensure adequate connectivity at home and had teams on standby to accommodate increased traffic. In 2019 the MCIT prioritised the strengthening of ICT infrastructure at a cost of $1.9bn, which enabled the sector to support much of the additional demand. Average internet speeds quadrupled from 6.63 Mbps in February 2019 to 32.77 Mbps in February 2021. Moreover, all FBB operators agreed to raise internet bundle download quotas by 20% at no extra charge to accommodate e-learning and other online activities. They were also involved in the creation of information hotlines that contributed to the effective response to Covid-19.
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