Telecoms & IT

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.