Telecoms & IT
From The Report: Egypt 2014
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The Egyptian telecoms sector is one of the most dynamic parts of the country’s economy, having weathered the economic slowdown over the past few years. Following the approval of a new universal licence in September 2014, the sector is set to see significant changes: a new mobile operator will be launched by legacy telco Telecom Egypt, the fixed-line market will be opened to mobile companies, and, within a few years, 4G networks will be rolled out and new international gateway licences offered. The long-awaited green light to universal licences will trigger some of the most significant changes in the market’s recent history. With a large domestic market and a strong export-oriented sector, Egypt’s ICT industry is one of the economy’s leading magnets for investment. Internet use is growing rapidly but still has substantial scope to expand. Egypt is also one of the world’s top outsourcing and offshoring destinations, leveraging a skilled workforce, low costs, an advantageous location and strong government support. While there are still challenges, including limited fixed-line broadband networks and modest household demand, greater liberalisation of infrastructure ownership along with a concerted push by the government will help boost activity in the coming years.

This chapter contains a roundtable with Saeed Al Hamli, CEO, Etisalat Misr; Yves Gauthier, CEO, Mobinil; and Hatem Dowidar, Chairman, Vodafone Egypt.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

The growing market is on the cusp of new developments
OBG
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Fast-changing, competitive and an important magnet for foreign and private-sector investment, the Egyptian telecoms sector is one of the most dynamic parts of the country’s economy, having weathered the economic slowdown over the past few years. Following the approval of a new universal licence in September 2014, the sector is set to see significant changes: a new mobile operator will be launched by legacy telco Telecom Egypt (TE), the fixed-line market will be opened to mobile companies and,…

Overview

OBG talks to Saeed Al Hamli, CEO, Etisalat Misr; Yves Gauthier, CEO, Mobinil; and Hatem Dowidar, Chairman, Vodafone Egypt
OBG
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Interview: Al Hamli, Gauthier, Dowidar What impact will a unified licensing regime have on Egypt’s telecoms sector? SAEED AL HAMLI: Generally speaking, the new regime will impact the telecoms industry positively if done right. There are lots of challenges ahead for the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA). While the introduction of a new mobile operator would cause a great deal of concern over future investment for existing mobile network operators, the process for the new…

Analysis

The introduction of unified licences will expand market opportunities and establish a new mobile operator
OBG
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On September 3, 2014, the Egyptian government approved the activation of unified fixed-line and mobile telecoms licences after years of discussion. The National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA) hopes to have a telecoms sector with four players holding identical unified licences, allowing them to provide both mobile and fixed-line services in a market that will be strongly based on multi-play bundles. The government’s final approval of legislation allowing unified licences is undoubtedly…

Overview

Emphasis is being placed on enhancing value-added services
OBG
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With a large domestic market and a strong export-oriented sector, Egypt’s ICT industry is one of the economy’s leading magnets for investment. Internet use is growing rapidly but still has substantial scope to expand, while public and private sector bodies are increasingly using ICT to enhance their operations. Egypt is also one of the world’s leading outsourcing and offshoring destinations, leveraging a skilled workforce, low costs, geographical location and strong government support. The…

Analysis

Plans to capitalise on the sector’s strengths and encourage a broader array of ICT products
OBG
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The turbulence Egypt has experienced since early 2011 have made attracting investments more difficult in several sectors, but thanks to strong domestic demand, ICT has been something of an exception and has weathered the volatility better than most. Stable & Growing The outsourcing sector is perhaps the best indicator of this. With broader headline growth strengthening through 2014, the government is introducing a new strategy and associated fiscal reforms to spur an increase in outsourcing…