ICT
From The Report: Egypt 2019
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With the government prioritising economic diversifi¬cation, Egypt’s digital transformation continued apace in 2018. Although the country’s mobile market appears to have already reached saturation in terms of subscribers, exponential increases in data use on the back of the 4G rollout, as well as the prospect of a sizeable fixed-line network expansion, are expected to continue to drive revenue growth for telecoms in the near future. Guided by its ICT 2030 Strategy, which aims to transform Egypt into a telecoms and tech centre on both a regional and global scale, government support remains key with infrastructure investments, tax incentives for tech parks and manufacturing projects. Private sector support for the nascent tech start-up industry offers promising prospects for the country. This chapter contains interviews with Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology; and Adel Hamed, CEO, Telecom Egypt.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Upwardly mobile: An ever-increasing openness to private sector and foreign investment is set to ensure continued expansion
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With the government prioritising economic diversification, Egypt’s digital transformation continued apace in 2018. Guided by its ICT 2030 Strategy, which aims to transform Egypt into a telecoms and tech centre on both a regional and global scale, the government is focusing on new initiatives such as electronics design and manufacturing, as well as providing greater support to Egypt’s burgeoning start-up industry. Though the country is a mature market for telecoms, local consumer dynamics…

Interview

Timely transformation: Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, on the youth bulge and boosting the tech sector
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Interview:Amr Talaat How can labour keep up with technological growth? AMR TALAAT: In order for Egypt to become a reference point for ICT in the region, the most important thing is for our population to have the required skills across the spectrum of ICT disciplines and specialisations. This needs to be the cornerstone of our strategy to attract investment and boost ICT services and exports. Sector revenue increased by 16.4% in the second quarter of 2018, showing that we are creating an environment…

Analysis

Tech in bloom: Funding injections are increasing as the start-up ecosystem becomes more dynamic and sophisticated
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Egypt is banking on a number of key advantages to become a regional and global centre for tech start-ups. The country benefits from a young, increasingly urbanised and tech-minded population, and around 250,000 engineering and tech graduates enter the job market every year. The costs of establishing and registering a business in cities like Cairo are low – averaging $1500, compared to anywhere between $6500 and $7100 in Dubai, for example. In addition, the government offers modern infrastructure…

Analysis

Network upgrades: Innovation and infrastructure are aiding the 4G LTE rollout
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Since launching commercial 4G LTE licences in late 2017, the country’s four mobile operators – Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt, Etisalat Misr and Telecom Egypt’s WE – have rolled out LTE services in most urban areas. They are quickly bringing the country on par with global standards through innovative partnerships and network infrastructure investments. Licence Negotiations LTE services have been a gamechanger for Egypt’s mobile services industry, allowing operators to keep pace…

Interview

Accelerated development: Adel Hamed, CEO, Telecom Egypt, on the sector’s goals and transforming the country into a digital hub
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Interview:Adel Hamed What is the role of telecoms operators in driving the country’s digital transformation initiative? ADEL HAMED: Digital transformation is a key pillar and enabler to the country’s sustainable development strategy, Egypt Vision 2030. The aim is to harness the power of digital technology to accelerate development, modernise the economy and improve the lives of Egyptians. We are working closely with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to enable this…

Overview

Bridging the divide: The expanding digital economy is creating widespread opportunities in emerging markets
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More and more commercial transactions are moving online and the so-called digital economy continues to expand its reach into every facet of the traditional analogue economy. For businesses, this means they have access to new channels to reach existing clients as well as new opportunities to expand market share with a competitive digital offering. For consumers, the ever-expanding digital economy promises greater access to products and services at their fingertips, as well as increased ease in accessing and comparing information about them. This also tends to encourage more competitive pricing among providers. In emerging economies, the…