Egypt’s telecoms regulator NTRA and Ministry of Communications are planning to launch 3G and 4G frequencies by the end of 2016, senior sources from NTRA told Amwal Al Ghad Monday.
Minister of Communications Yasser El-Kady announced earlier this year that his ministry would launch 3G frequencies within the first quarter of 2016; while 4G frequencies would be by the end of 2016.
Release of both 3G and 4G frequencies simultaneously rather than in separate period will help increase revenues, the sources added.
The new permits shall generate about 2 billion Egyptian pounds ($255 million) of the state revenues according to the draft budget for the financial year 2015-2016. Mobile operators were permitted to access 1800 MHz frequency spectrum in June 2014 distributed as follows: 10 MHz for Etisalat Egypt and 2.5 MHz for both Orange (formerly Mobinil) and Vodafone.
