06 December 2021

Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) green-lit the usage of new network frequencies for Vodafone, Etisalat, and WE and is expecting an improvement in network services by early 2022, it said.

The three network providers will run their services at 40 MHz of 2.6 GHz on the Time Division Duplex Spectrum, a new frequency band that is expected to expand the capacity of networks and improve services.

Minister of communications and information technology Amr Talaat explained that the step aims to improve the quality of telecommunications services. It is also designed to help keep pace with the heightened demand for network services in the Egyptian market and support Egypt’s digital transformation.

Talaat added that the new frequencies will help significantly improve the quality of voice and data services over the coming period.

The NTRA signed investment agreements estimated at US$1.170 billion in 2020 allowing Vodafone Egypt to start operating at a frequency of 40 MHz and Etisalat and WE at 20 MHz.

All three mobile network operators (MNOs) have been directed to take the necessary measures to leverage the new frequencies as well as follow the technical procedures that will prepare the networks for the new frequencies and overcome the hurdles that may negatively affect the quality of services.

The NTRA is aiming to see remarkable improvement in the quality of voice and data services by early 2022 to catch up with the increased rate of cellular tower installations.

This year, several complaints have been made about poor network coverage and data services provided by MNOs nationwide.

In a NTRA report measuring the quality of calls and data services in the third quarter of 2021 in 81 cities and districts countrywide, Vodafone came in first and Orange last.

The authority has enforced several measures to raise the quality of services provided, including fining telecommunication companies E£25bn for violating phone service quality standards in accordance with the licences they have been granted.

Measures also include establishing 641 new mobile stations in the third quarter of 2021 to provide 500 villages with 4G network services, said the report.