Telecom Egypt is the sole
provider of basic telecommunications services and infrastructure. Although the
telecommunications sector in Egypt is governed by the Telecommunication Regulatory
Authority, regulatory autonomy is still controlled, to a certain extent, by the Government
Ministry. Furthermore, Telecom Egypt is still subject to the Ministry of Transport and
Telecommunications for all major decisions concerning finances, tariffs and employment.
In 1998, however, the
government announced plans for transformation of Telecom Egypt (ARENTO), into a company.
Equity in the company will be offered for sale on the market exchange. A portion of the
equity will offered to investors, but shares will also be offered to the general public.
Nonetheless, the sizes of the portions available to the public and private investors are
still to be determined.
Recently, Telecom Egypt has
undertaken significant development of the country’s telecommunication infrastructure
with support from central government and development assistance. Egypt plans to achieve an
overall telephone density of 10% by the year 2001 and is working towards digitization of
its telephone system (which currently stands at 45%). In the meantime, Egypt
Telecom’s manufacturing arm, Egyptian Telephone Company (ETC) has entered into a
joint venture agreements with Siemens, Alcatel, and Ericsson for manufacturing and
assembling digital switches, PBXs (Private Branch Exchanges) and telephone sets.
For international
communications, Egypt is currently relying on a combination of microwave, satellite, and
submarine fibre optic links. Egypt is a member of ARABSAT, INTELSAT, and INMARSAT and
connected to the SEA-MEA-WE2 (Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 2) submarine fiber
optic system. Egypt also participates in the FLAG submarine fibre optic project which has
landing site at Alexandria and Suez.
Two cellular licenses have
been granted for MobiNil and Misrfone. MobiNil took over the ownership of Telecom
Egypt’s GSM and TACS cellular network that has some 180,000 subscribers. Misfone is
an international consortium consisting of Vodafone, Airtouch, Alkan, and EFG-Hermes.
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ITSEC is instrumental in the
creation of the Regional Arab
Information Technology Network (RAITNET), a non-governmental regional network
of institutions to facilitate coordination and training among those active in building ICT
infrastructure in the Arab region. There are about 50 member organizations of RAITNET
offering ICT training around the country.
The Information Technology Institute
(ITI) was established by IDSC in 1993. It is currently the leading Egyptian institute that
provides constant supply of information technology (IT) professional, by training
university graduates on IT related skills.
The Egyptian National Scientific and
Technical Information Network (ESTINET – URL: http://www.sti.sci.eg) operates
several networks in Cairo, catering to the needs of various sectors in the Egyptian
society (agriculture, energy, industry, medicine, etc.).
The United Nations Development Program, under
the IT for Development Programme, is currently funding a project called the Technology
Access Community Centres (TACCS). Three Technology Access Community Centers, TACC, INFTEC,
and ECOITEC have been developed in Zagazig City and 10th of Ramadan City within the
Sharkeya governorate. The TACCs in Egypt are the first in a series of UNDP sponsored IT
pilot projects which will be hosted by other countries throughout the Arab States, Africa,
Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean regions. A principal goal of the pilot project will
be the development and implementation of a flexible, local approach to community
development with an emphasis on non-formal education using information technology and
human resources to increase the role of training and education in the life-long learning
of all community members. TACCS Web site: http://www.undp.org/info21/pilot/launch.html
