Egypt's Telecommunications Organizaiton

   Telecom Egypt, formerly the Arab Republic of Egypt National Telecommunication Organizaiton, (ARENTO) is the incumbent provider of  local and international telecommunication networks in Egypt.  Although Egypt Telecom is a wholly-owned government entity, it was partially “corporatized” in 1980, allowing it to operate as an autonomous company with control of its own finances and procurement. (African Connection)

Regulation:

    The Ministry of Telecommunications and Transportation oversees market regulation through the Regulatory Board for Telecommunications whose mission is to regulate pricing, standard of services, and develop and implement a national telecommunications policy.  The rulings of the board has not yet ventured into fundamentally altering the sector by enabling competition across the full spectrum of communication services and probably delay until the privatization of Egypt Telecom.  The most likey cause of the delay, other than resistance of the status quo is the direct linkage between sales price and duration of monopoly under the new owners.
(El-Nawawy)

Telecommunications Infrastructure

A. Domestic

    By 1997, the number of telephone lines had grown nearly ten times from the 1980’s to reach 6.7 million lines and a teledensity (number of telephone lines for every 100 people) rate of 11.1.  The number of communities with phone access is concentrated in the cities of Alexandria and the capital, Cairo.  The quality of service has greatly improved with fiber optic technology, and automatic and digital exchanges. (El-Nawawy pg. 2)

    The Pubic Data Network (PDN), Egyptnet, is an X.25 based network providing coverage primarily in the populated urban areas of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.  It provides X.25 connectivity at speeds up to 19.2 k via leased lines or  X.28 dial-up access.  There are ongoing efforts to increase the speed, as well as, the geographical coverage of the PDN. (Kamel, pg. 3)

B.  International

    Egypt has access to the FLAG fiber optic network that connects Europe and Japan via two landing points located in Egypt.  Access to FLAG will help to expand Internet provision in Egypt.

    Egypt’s international connectivity also includes the fiber optic SEMEWE-2 cable, as well as INTELSAT and Arabsat  satellite services.(Kamel, pg. 3)

C.  Internet Support Infrastructure and Gateways
   
    This information is included under Internet History as it follows the introduction and spread of the Internet from a  single line to the current structure..