{"id":6757,"date":"2014-10-02T08:52:08","date_gmt":"2014-10-02T08:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/?p=6757"},"modified":"2025-10-20T11:29:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:29:12","slug":"gsma-report-highlights-key-role-of-mobile-broadband-in-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/press-release\/gsma-report-highlights-key-role-of-mobile-broadband-in-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"GSMA REPORT HIGHLIGHTS KEY ROLE OF MOBILE BROADBAND IN EGYPT"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the Right Incentives, Investment in Mobile Broadband Could Boost GDP by EGP 310 billion (US $43 billion) and Create 1.2 Million New Jobs<\/em><\/p>\n

London:<\/strong> At a roundtable of industry and government leaders this week in Cairo, attended by H.E. Eng. Atef Helmy, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt, and Eng.\u00a0Hesham\u00a0El Alaily, Executive President of\u00a0the NTRA, the GSMA published a new report revealing the potential for significant future growth in Egypt. By taking action to increase mobile broadband penetration, the country could unlock an additional EGP 310 billion (US $43 billion) in GDP and help create 1.2 million new jobs across the economy by 2030. Developed by Plum Consulting, the report, \u201cThe Economic and Social Impact of Mobile Broadband in Egypt\u201d, finds that this opportunity can only be realised through long-term, pro-investment policies and a stable regulatory environment. In particular, the report identifies that Egypt currently has one of the world\u2019s lowest levels of spectrum assigned to mobile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the shift from traditional voice and SMS to mobile broadband, Egypt\u2019s mobile operators are becoming increasingly constrained by limited domestic fibre optic network capacity.\u00a0 Equally, high speed international connections are essential if Egypt is to compete effectively at a global level,\u201d said Tom Phillips, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA. \u201cThese constraints, combined with a lack of radio spectrum to support the latest mobile broadband technology, are stifling economic growth. Policies that encourage investment in mobile broadband and enable additional spectrum to be allocated for mobile services are critical to transforming Egypt\u2019s economic future.\u201d<\/p>\n

At this week\u2019s roundtable, Minister Helmy invited the mobile industry to convene a joint task force to address the current constraints and assess the demand and supply requirements to fast-track mobile broadband roll-out. The formation of the task force will be discussed at the GSMA\u2019s Mobile 360-Middle East conference in Dubai later this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing successful discussions, it is now time for the Government and industry to take concrete steps to foster innovation and growth through mobile. This cooperation is a critical part of our joint effort to enhance the lives of our citizens and position Egypt as a leader in the region,\u201d said H.E. Eng. Atef Helmy.<\/p>\n

Recommendations for Long-Term Growth<\/strong><\/p>\n

To fully realise the potential of mobile broadband, the report proposes that the government and regulator work hand in hand with the mobile industry to develop a clear vision for a \u201cDigital Egypt\u201d that stimulates investment. Key recommendations include:<\/p>\n