The state-controlled incumbent is the only operator to receive a 5G licence so far and although it is the country’s smallest mobile operator, it is also the fastest growing
Nokia announced a new partnership with Telecom Egypt to bring 5G technology to country. It will start with to cities including Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Luxor. The Finnish vendor and the state-controlled incumbent have a long established relationship.
Under the terms of the new contract, the vendor will deploy its AirScale portfolio later this year in the RAN, comprising baseband units and Massive MIMO radios which run on Nokia’s ReefShark System-on-Chip tech.
Nokia will also offer professional services, from deployment to integration and network optimisation.
Earlier this year, Telecom Egypt’s CEO and MD, Nasr Eldin, told local media that 5G will boost its data revenues over the next five years and that 5G will be rolled out based on economic feasibility. The company started the trial operation phase of the service in five locations,
He also said about 50% of Egypt Telecom’s network is 5G-ready, needing only software updates. Eldin added that around 8% of smartphones in the Egyptian market are 5G-compatible
Telecom Egypt (which operates under the the we brand) secured the country’s first 5G licence from the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA,) in January. It is valid for 15 years and will not be renewed automatically.
As of Q3 2023, Telecom Egypt had the smallest number of mobile subscribers at 12.5 million but is also the fastest-growing mobile operator, having only entered the country’s mobile market in Q3 2017.
Its competitors are Vodafone (which is the largest mobile operator with 46.2 million subscribers as of Q3 2023 and is 65% owned by Vodacom and 45% owned by Telecom Egypt), Orange and Etisalat by e&.
BMI, a Fitch company, believes the sale of the incumbent’s towers and the launch of 5G will mean Telecom Egypt continues to take market share from the its three competitors as more funds for growth are allocated. In May 2023, Egypt’s government sold a 9.5% stake in state-controlled Telecom Egypt for 3.75 billion Egyptian pounds ($121.6 million) to boost its privatisation programme.