Telecom Egypt and Nokia to launch Egypt’s first 5G network before end of year

Cairo – July 16, 2024: Egypt could have its first 5G network up and running sometime this year, according to an agreement between Telecom Egypt and global technology company Nokia.

In a joint statement, the two companies announced a strategic partnership aimed at launching 5G-ready services nationwide, which promises to pave the way for a new era of innovation across various industries

The partnership comes on the heels of Telecom Egypt securing a 15-year license in January to operate 5G services, underscoring its commitment to advancing Egypt's digital transformation agenda.  

The state-owned telecom secured the license from the National Telecom Regulatory Authority after signed a $150 million contract. Earlier this year, it partnered with Chinese tech giant Huawei to launch 5G “hotspot areas” throughout the country.

Telecom Egypt and Nokia explained that 5G services will be adopted across key cities such as Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Aswan, and Luxor.

The introduction of 5G services aligns with Egypt's Vision 2030 objectives aimed at positioning Egypt as a regional ICT leader.

Scheduled for deployment later this year, the initiative will see Nokia leveraging its AirScale portfolio to upgrade Telecom Egypt's radio access network (RAN), including the deployment of advanced 5G technology, featuring state-of-the-art baseband units and Massive MIMO radios, designed to significantly enhance data speeds, network performance, and overall capacity.

Mohamed Al Fowey, Vice President and CTO at Telecom Egypt, expressed optimism about the transformative potential of 5G, stating “Both our consumer and enterprise customers can look forward to enhanced mobile broadband and exciting applications that leverage the speed and low latency of 5G technology”.

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, emphasized the strategic importance of the collaboration, affirming Nokia's dedication to supporting Telecom Egypt in its quest to deliver unparalleled 5G experiences.

Telecom Egypt and Nokia’s joint statement highlighted the advantages of deploying 5G, including raising the capacity for seamless connectivity in some of Egypt’s most densely populated areas.