Communications in Egypt
Encyclopedia
Egypt
has long been the cultural and informational centre of the Arab
world, and Cairo
is the region's largest publishing
and broadcasting
centre.
Mail
Egypt Post
is the government-owned body that provide postal services. Mail post is never considered as a reliable communication mean in Egypt.
Radio in Egypt is almost all government controlled, using 44 short-wave frequencies, 18 medium-wave stations, and four FM stations. There are seven regional radio stations covering the country. Egyptian Radio transmits 60 hours daily overseas in 33 languages and three hundred hours daily within Egypt. In 2000, Radio Cairo introduced new specialized (thematic) channels on its FM station. So far, they include news, music, and sports. Radio enjoys more freedom than TV in its news programs, talk shows and analysis.
Starting 2003, Nile Radio Production a private company was given license to operate two radio stations, Nile FM and Nogoom FM. Nile FM broadcasts in English
and Nogoom FM broadcasts in Arabic. Both stations mostly broadcast mainly to the Greater Cairo
region. In the early 2009, Radio Masr
was launched, broadcasting popular Egyptian songs, news & other programs.
Egyptian ground-broadcast television (ERTU) is government controlled and depends heavily on commercial revenue. ETV sells its specially produced programs and soap operas to the entire Arab world. ETV has two main channels, six regional channels, and three satellite channels. Of the two main channels, Channel I uses mainly Arabic, while Channel II is dedicated to foreigners and more cultured viewers, broadcasting news in English and French as well as Arabic.
Egyptian Satellite channels broadcast to the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. East Coast. In April 1998, Egypt launched its own satellite known as NileSat 101. Seven specialized channels cover news, culture, sports, education, entertainment, health, and drama. A second, digital satellite, Nilesat 102, was launched in August 2000. Many of its channels are rented to other stations.
Three new private satellite-based TV stations were launched in November 2001, marking a great change in Egyptian government policy. Dream TV 1 and 2 produce cultural programming, broadcast contemporary video clips and films featuring Arab and international actors, as well as soap operas; another private station focuses on business and general news. Both private channels transmit on NileSat.
In addition to Egyptian programming, the Middle East Broadcast Company, a Saudi television station transmitting from London (MBC), Arab Radio and Television (ART), Al-Jazeera television, and other Gulf stations as well as Western networks such as CNN and BBC, provide access to more international programs to Egyptians who own satellite receivers.
which is also government-controlled.
The government is planning to start the process for licensing a second national operator for voice and transport services by 2008, with a view to this company starting operations in 2009.
, Vodafone Egypt
and Etisalat Egypt
. These companies are providing services surpassing voice communication such as 3G
and 3.75G services.
There are 8 major Service Provider companies which sll their services to smaller ISPs. The highest avialble speed through ADSL technologies was upgraded to 8MB in download in February 2008 and then to 24MB later that year.
The Egyptian ISP market is fully liberalized and highly competitive, at least in Cairo and Alexandria, with over 220 ISPs offering a range of services, including dedicated, dial-up, pre-paid and premium services. With the introduction of ADSL for homes and businesses, more subscribers are introduced into the market. It is expected that by the end of 2010 high-speed Internet access will be available across the entire country.
Orascom, one of the shareholders in the leading cellular operator MobiNil, is also the biggest player in the Internet service provision market and owns 75 per cent of Egypt’s largest ISP, LINKdotNET. The tie-up with the mobile operator is significant in that WAP services were introduced in May for a trial period, making Egypt one of the first countries in Africa to have introduced WAP.
NileOnline and Egynet has been recently sold to Etisalat, increasing Etisalat access into the broadband market. with this acquisition all class I tier ISPs mentioned above are owned by the major telecommunication companies operating in the country.
Raya is owned by Vodafone Egypt, Nileonline and Egynet are now owned by Etisalat, TEdata is owned and operated by the oldest telecom company in the region telecom Egypt and link.net is owned by Orascom telecom.
On January 27 2011, almost all internet connectivity to Egypt was shut off by the Egyptian government.
The government is still also holding discussions with relevant stakeholders to determine the best policy framework for introducing WiMax into the market through existing or new operators.
Cellular Communication Service:
Telephones: mobile cellular: 30.047 million (2007)
Telephone system: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in 2006 fixed-line density stood at 14 per 100 persons; as of 2007 there were three mobile-cellular networks and service is expanding rapidly
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
International: landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 AND SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios: 3.07 million (1997)
Television Broadcast Stations: 98 (1995)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 220 (2008)
Internet Hosts: 5,363 (2007)
People connected to the internet: 12,568,900(As of June 2009)
Country codes: .EG
(Top-level domain)
Mobile Services:
Cairo (Capital) : 2
(Includes following cities: Cairo, Giza, 6th Of October, Helwan, New Cairo)
Alexandria: 3
Banha: 13
10th of Ramadan: 15
Tanta: 40
Damanhour: 45
Marsa Matrouh: 46
Kafer El Sheik: 47
Menouf: 48
Mansoura: 50
Zagazig: 55
Damiette: 57
Suez: 62
Ismailia: 64
Red Sea: 65
Port Said: 66
El Arish: 68
El Tour: 69
Bani Suef: 82
Fayyoum: 84
Minia: 86
Assiout: 88
El Wadi El Gedid: 92
Sohag: 93
Luxor: 95
Qena: 96
Aswan: 97
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
has long been the cultural and informational centre of the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
world, and Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
is the region's largest publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
and broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
centre.
Press
Egypt has long been the cultural and informational center of the Arab world, and Cairo is the region's largest publishing and broadcasting center. There are eight daily newspapers with a total circulation of more than 2 million, and a number of monthly newspapers, magazines, and journals. The majority of political parties have their own newspapers, and these papers conduct a lively, often highly partisan, debate on public issues.Egypt Post
Egypt Post is the company responsible for postal service in Egypt.Egypt Post, established in 1865, is one of the oldest and most time-honored Egyptian institutions, which enjoys the trust of its customers, amounting to more than 15 million...
is the government-owned body that provide postal services. Mail post is never considered as a reliable communication mean in Egypt.
Radio
- See also Egyptian Radio and Television Union & List of FM radio stations in Egypt
Radio in Egypt is almost all government controlled, using 44 short-wave frequencies, 18 medium-wave stations, and four FM stations. There are seven regional radio stations covering the country. Egyptian Radio transmits 60 hours daily overseas in 33 languages and three hundred hours daily within Egypt. In 2000, Radio Cairo introduced new specialized (thematic) channels on its FM station. So far, they include news, music, and sports. Radio enjoys more freedom than TV in its news programs, talk shows and analysis.
Starting 2003, Nile Radio Production a private company was given license to operate two radio stations, Nile FM and Nogoom FM. Nile FM broadcasts in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Nogoom FM broadcasts in Arabic. Both stations mostly broadcast mainly to the Greater Cairo
Greater Cairo
Greater Cairo is the largest metropolitan area in Egypt and the third largest urban area in the Islamic World after Jakarta and Greater Istanbul. It is the largest urban area in Africa. It is the world's 16th largest metropolitan area, consisting of governorates Cairo, Giza and Shubra El Khiema of...
region. In the early 2009, Radio Masr
Radio Masr
Radio Masr is the first governmental radio station in Egypt which is being transmitted on FM. It has launched on April 24, 2009. It broadcasts the latest news 24/7 for 10 minutes every hour....
was launched, broadcasting popular Egyptian songs, news & other programs.
Television
- See also Egyptian televisionEgyptian televisionThe Egyptian Television Network is a television service run by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union. It commenced programming in 1960. Today it has more than three national channels, and several broadcast channels on satellite.- History :...
Egyptian ground-broadcast television (ERTU) is government controlled and depends heavily on commercial revenue. ETV sells its specially produced programs and soap operas to the entire Arab world. ETV has two main channels, six regional channels, and three satellite channels. Of the two main channels, Channel I uses mainly Arabic, while Channel II is dedicated to foreigners and more cultured viewers, broadcasting news in English and French as well as Arabic.
Egyptian Satellite channels broadcast to the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. East Coast. In April 1998, Egypt launched its own satellite known as NileSat 101. Seven specialized channels cover news, culture, sports, education, entertainment, health, and drama. A second, digital satellite, Nilesat 102, was launched in August 2000. Many of its channels are rented to other stations.
Three new private satellite-based TV stations were launched in November 2001, marking a great change in Egyptian government policy. Dream TV 1 and 2 produce cultural programming, broadcast contemporary video clips and films featuring Arab and international actors, as well as soap operas; another private station focuses on business and general news. Both private channels transmit on NileSat.
In addition to Egyptian programming, the Middle East Broadcast Company, a Saudi television station transmitting from London (MBC), Arab Radio and Television (ART), Al-Jazeera television, and other Gulf stations as well as Western networks such as CNN and BBC, provide access to more international programs to Egyptians who own satellite receivers.
Landline Telephony
Currently, there is a single company in charge of Landline Telephony, Telecom EgyptTelecom Egypt
Telecom Egypt or Telecom Egypt SAE , is Egypt’s main Telephone company. It started in 1854 with the first telegraph line in Egypt...
which is also government-controlled.
The government is planning to start the process for licensing a second national operator for voice and transport services by 2008, with a view to this company starting operations in 2009.
Cellular Communications
Currently, there are three companies which offer cellular communication service: MobinilMobinil
Mobinil is one of Egypt's three mobile phone operators. Founded in 1998. The company is majority-owned and fully consolidated by France Télécom , which holds 71.25% of the shares in "Mobinil Telecom," the rest of the shares being held by Orascom Telecom...
, Vodafone Egypt
Vodafone Egypt
Vodafone Egypt is Egypt's largest mobile network operator. It was launched in 1998 and was formerly known as Click GSM.-About Vodafone Egypt:Vodafone Egypt is a telecommunications service and product provider. It was established in 1998...
and Etisalat Egypt
Etisalat Egypt
Etisalat Egypt is a subsidiary of Etisalat U.A.E., the sole telecommunications services provider in the United Arab Emirates from 1976 until the arrival of Du in February 2007, and the first 3.5G network operator in Egypt. Etisalat Misr is one of 18 service providers managed by Etisalat in the...
. These companies are providing services surpassing voice communication such as 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
and 3.75G services.
Internet
The Internet companies market is dealt to two: infrastructure providers and service providers. There are 5 infrastructure companies:-- 1-RayaRayaRayas Group of Hotels may refer to:Places:*Raya, Nepal, village in NW Nepal*Raya, Simalungun, town in Indonesia*Raya, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaHistory:*Raya , administrative unit of the Ottoman Empire...
- 2-NileOnline
- 3-TEDataTEDataTE Data S.A.E. is an Internet service provider in Egypt, established in 2001 by Telecom Egypt to act as its data communications and Internet arm....
- 4-EGYNet
- 5-LINKdotNETLINKdotNETLINKdotNET is an Egyptian ISP and internet company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Holding.Chairman of LINKdotNET is Khaled Bichara, who is now the CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding.-Beginnings:...
There are 8 major Service Provider companies which sll their services to smaller ISPs. The highest avialble speed through ADSL technologies was upgraded to 8MB in download in February 2008 and then to 24MB later that year.
The Egyptian ISP market is fully liberalized and highly competitive, at least in Cairo and Alexandria, with over 220 ISPs offering a range of services, including dedicated, dial-up, pre-paid and premium services. With the introduction of ADSL for homes and businesses, more subscribers are introduced into the market. It is expected that by the end of 2010 high-speed Internet access will be available across the entire country.
Orascom, one of the shareholders in the leading cellular operator MobiNil, is also the biggest player in the Internet service provision market and owns 75 per cent of Egypt’s largest ISP, LINKdotNET. The tie-up with the mobile operator is significant in that WAP services were introduced in May for a trial period, making Egypt one of the first countries in Africa to have introduced WAP.
NileOnline and Egynet has been recently sold to Etisalat, increasing Etisalat access into the broadband market. with this acquisition all class I tier ISPs mentioned above are owned by the major telecommunication companies operating in the country.
Raya is owned by Vodafone Egypt, Nileonline and Egynet are now owned by Etisalat, TEdata is owned and operated by the oldest telecom company in the region telecom Egypt and link.net is owned by Orascom telecom.
On January 27 2011, almost all internet connectivity to Egypt was shut off by the Egyptian government.
Wireless Internet
Egypt is following closely the efforts to standardize WiMax technologies as they permit simpler and faster access to Internet services, especially as WiMax receivers are integrated into PC processors.The government is still also holding discussions with relevant stakeholders to determine the best policy framework for introducing WiMax into the market through existing or new operators.
Communication Companies in Egypt
Landline Telephony Service:- Telecom EgyptTelecom EgyptTelecom Egypt or Telecom Egypt SAE , is Egypt’s main Telephone company. It started in 1854 with the first telegraph line in Egypt...
Cellular Communication Service:
- MobinilMobinilMobinil is one of Egypt's three mobile phone operators. Founded in 1998. The company is majority-owned and fully consolidated by France Télécom , which holds 71.25% of the shares in "Mobinil Telecom," the rest of the shares being held by Orascom Telecom...
- Vodafone EgyptVodafone EgyptVodafone Egypt is Egypt's largest mobile network operator. It was launched in 1998 and was formerly known as Click GSM.-About Vodafone Egypt:Vodafone Egypt is a telecommunications service and product provider. It was established in 1998...
- Etisalat EgyptEtisalat EgyptEtisalat Egypt is a subsidiary of Etisalat U.A.E., the sole telecommunications services provider in the United Arab Emirates from 1976 until the arrival of Du in February 2007, and the first 3.5G network operator in Egypt. Etisalat Misr is one of 18 service providers managed by Etisalat in the...
Statistics
Telephones: main lines in use: 10.808 million (2006)Telephones: mobile cellular: 30.047 million (2007)
Telephone system: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in 2006 fixed-line density stood at 14 per 100 persons; as of 2007 there were three mobile-cellular networks and service is expanding rapidly
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
International: landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 AND SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios: 3.07 million (1997)
Television Broadcast Stations: 98 (1995)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 220 (2008)
Internet Hosts: 5,363 (2007)
People connected to the internet: 12,568,900(As of June 2009)
Country codes: .EG
.eg
.eg is the Latin alphabet country code top-level domain for Egypt. Any entity who wants to register a domain name ending with .eg must have a local representative or the domain name has to be hosted on Egyptian DNS servers...
(Top-level domain)
Telephone Prefixes
Country Code: +20Mobile Services:
- Etisalat: 11 or 14 or 0152
- Mobinil: 12 or 17 or 18 or 0150
- Vodafone: 10 or 16 or 19 or 0151
Cairo (Capital) : 2
(Includes following cities: Cairo, Giza, 6th Of October, Helwan, New Cairo)
Alexandria: 3
Banha: 13
10th of Ramadan: 15
Tanta: 40
Damanhour: 45
Marsa Matrouh: 46
Kafer El Sheik: 47
Menouf: 48
Mansoura: 50
Zagazig: 55
Damiette: 57
Suez: 62
Ismailia: 64
Red Sea: 65
Port Said: 66
El Arish: 68
El Tour: 69
Bani Suef: 82
Fayyoum: 84
Minia: 86
Assiout: 88
El Wadi El Gedid: 92
Sohag: 93
Luxor: 95
Qena: 96
Aswan: 97