Tricky call

1 November 2012 By Una Galani Follow @ugalani

Cairo is mulling a plan to allow fixed-line operator Telecom Egypt to offer mobile services in order to boost its flagging revenue. That would hurt the foreign-controlled mobile players. And it could put into play the state-owned group’s 45 pct stake in Vodafone Egypt.

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Egypt’s government is studying ways to develop the mobile telecoms sector, including the idea of issuing a licence for a fourth network.
“We need to look into how to organise the market between the four players,” Hany Mahmoud, the recently appointed communications and technology minister was quoted last month as saying by The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi.
“We have no plans to get another player into the market, so we are planning to introduce a universal licence where all the four operators can offer all telecoms services,” he added.
A decision is not expected to be taken until the first quarter of 2013.
(The latest version of this story corrects the net cash position figure in the final paragraph.)

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