3 min read

Egypt’s Vodafone, Orange, and e& Receive 5G Licences

October 8, 2024

Egypt’s Vodafone, Orange, and e& receive 5G licences after the Egyptian government signed agreements for the second phase of 5G licences.

Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said the agreements intend to enhance 5G services, significantly improve communication quality, and expand the network’s capacity for optimal performance.

He confirmed Egypt’s capability to deliver the latest 5G technologies, contributing to service improvement and enhancing mobile network capacity, highlighting that this move is vital for the country to provide advanced technological services to its citizens.

The government reportedly raised about $675 million from selling 5G service licences to the country’s four telecom operators, including Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, e& Egypt, and the state-owned Telecom Egypt.

In January 2024, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) awarded Telecom Egypt a 15-year licence, valued at $150 million, to operate 5G services, making it the first mobile operator in the country to obtain such a license. However, the licence will not be automatically renewed when it expires, and it does not include any additional benefits.

Telecom Egypt to deliver Egypt’s first 5G network later this year

Subsequently, Telecom Egypt confirmed that it will deliver Egypt’s first 5G network later this year, starting with services in some cities. The carrier chose Nokia’s 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment for the deployment, which included baseband units and the latest Massive MIMO radios.

The minister stated that the new agreements align with the state’s strategy to deliver advanced technological services, supporting key sectors such as smart cities, logistics, healthcare, and agriculture, all of which depend on IoT technologies powered by 5G.

He noted that it underscores the importance of collaboration among Egypt’s four telecom companies to ensure continuous service development, benefiting citizens and reinforcing the IT sector’s role in economic growth.

With a mobile phone penetration rate of about 95%, accounting for over 100 million subscriptions, and an Internet penetration rate of 49%, Egypt is committed to accelerating digitalization. As part of its “Vision 2030” strategy, the government introduced a new component titled “Digital Egypt.”

Digital Egypt is a comprehensive vision and plan designed to establish the foundation for Egypt’s transformation into a fully digital society.

Leave a comment and follow us on social media for more tips: