Overview:

The telecoms market in Egypt is less regulated than its peers such as the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in MEA. In the wholesale markets, the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has been relatively liberal in allowing operators to enter into commercial service agreements with each other by adopting a cost-plus model for fixing the service prices. However, the retail market is comparatively more regulated, with the NTRA requiring the operators to get their tariffs approved and complying with the service quality standards set by it. In our opinion, while end users are protected by the NTRA’s retail regulation policy, the lack of regulation of wholesale services risks a price squeeze on alternative service providers and therefore fails to adequately foster or protect competition.

Overview
Ovum view
Fixed market overview
Internet
IPTV
VoIP market
Multi-play: dual, triple, and quad players
Mobile market overview
National regulatory authority
Role of the Egyptian Competition Authority
Key legislation and regulation
Principal Act
Decrees
Current status of market analysis
Wireless licensing
3G licences
WiMAX
MVNOs
Retail regulation
The retail market
Cost model for retail tariffs
Quality of service
Wholesale fixed regulation
Services subject to regulation
Narrowband voice interconnection
Interconnection tariffs through commercial agreements
Wholesale access services
Local loop unbundling
Transition to all-IP networks
Wholesale mobile regulation
Services subject to regulation
National roaming
Mobile termination charges
Mobile number portability
Wireless local loop
Universal service
Universal service obligation

List of Tables
Table 1: Egypt: mobile market information (4Q08)
Table 2: Fixed sector: services subject to regulation
Table 3: Mobile sector: services subject to regulation in Egypt

List of Figures
Figure 1: Fixed-line voice subscribers in Egypt
Figure 2: Internet users in Egypt
Figure 3: Mobile customers in Egypt