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etisalat Egypt likely to launch cellular service in February
etisalat Egypt plans to launch mobile services in the Egyptian market by the end of February, according to news reports.
- By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 January 22, 2007
Dubai: etisalat Egypt plans to launch mobile services in the Egyptian market by the end of February, according to news reports.
The Netherlands-based Telecom Paper quoted the Egyptian ministry of communications as saying the new entrant would offer 2G and 3G services by the end of next month.
It also said etisalat Egypt would operate under the 011 prefix to both pre-paid and post-paid users.
The company, which was created in July after etisalat offered 16.7 billion Egyptian pounds for Egypt's third mobile licence, recently unveiled its 3G services in a ceremony last week.
The operator expects to acquire 10 million subscribers by 2010 based on projections that the mobile penetration rate among the Egyptian population would increase to 50 per cent by that time.
That works out to a 25 per cent market share, Saleh Al Abdouli, CEO of etisalat Egypt, said in a release. However, Cairo-based HC Brokerage is estimating a smaller increase in mobile penetration rates in Egypt, projecting a 40.5 per cent increase in the same time period.
Al Abdouli also stated that when it launches and goes up against mobile operators Vodafone Egypt and Mobinil, etisalat Egypt's networks will cover 70 per cent of the Egyptian market.
He added that the company is equipped to begin service in Cairo and four major Egyptian cities through its more than 400 facilities already up and running throughout the country.
In the runup to the launch, Al Abdouli said the company was in constant discussions with officials from Vodafone and Mobinil over licensing terms and collaboration between networks.
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