Egypt - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Egypt - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Egypt’s MNOs secure additional spectrum

Egyptmobile market has a penetration rate of about 104%. In recent years this rate has been affected by significant adjustments as operators have eliminated dormant and unregistered SIM cards, leading to a fall in the number of subscriptions but providing a more accurate and rational view of the market. In mid-2015 the number of subscribers fell in line with efforts by the regulator to enforce SIM card registration data and remove subscribers failing to register. Similar processes led to a decline in the number of subscribers in 2018.

In common with most markets in the region, the various mobile technologies account for the vast majority of all internet connections. About 62% of all mobile subscribers used mobile internet services as of late 2021, compared to 52% a year earlier.

LTE was slow to get established in Egypt, though this was partly because three MNOs initially rejected the terms associated with the LTE licences offered. The issue was resolved in 2017, and since then the reach of LTE infrastructure has developed rapidly.

The development of 5G has also been slow, though there have been many trials since 2019. The New Administrative Capital being built east of Cairo will be the main location for commercial 5G services in the first instance, though there are more than a dozen smart city projects across the country where 5G could also be launched. Operators had to wait until late 2021 to secure spectrum in the 2.6GHz band which had been offered to them a year earlier. This delay means that 5G will not be available until much later in 2022.