Latest Egyptian fixed-line deadline set as September 18

Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has again postponed the deadline for the submission of proposals for the award of the country’s second fixed line licence to September 18 instead of July 29.

Telecom Egypt is currently the country’s sole fixed-line operator with over 11.3 million subscribers

The NTRA described the decision to extend the deadline again was based on an attempt to give more time for NTRA officials to set the bases for the interconnection agreement between the second fixed provider and the mobile network operators in the light of the latest discounts of the fixed tariffs. The fluctuation witnessed in the foreign exchange markets is another factor that urged the postponement decision.

The bid deadline had already previously been postponed from June 19 to July 29, and in May the regulator stated that 12 local and international companies had purchased the licence specifications and conditions booklet for US$10,000 and submitted an auction guarantee of EGP 10 million (US$1.9 million).

Confirmed parties included Atheeb from Saudi Arabia, Orascom Telecom, Egypt’s Alkan Telecom and Giza Systems, Etisalat, France Telecom, Alcatel-Lucent Egypt and Kuwaiti investment firm Noor Financial Company.

Local media reports suggested equipment supplier Ericsson and two Gulf Arab telecoms firms had also bought the conditions booklet.

Consortia that apply to participate in the award process are required to have a base of at least 500,000 subscribers and minimum revenues of US$500 million a year, the NTRA advised.