Telecom Egypt makes nation’s 5G first

Having earlier this year secured the country’s first 5G licence, which is valid for 15 years, Telecom Egypt has announced a partnership with comms tech provider Nokia to upgrade its radio access network to not only introduce 5G-ready services in the cities of Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Luxor, but also bring 5G technology to Egypt for the first time.

With a history of serving Egyptian customers for over 170 years, Telecom Egypt markets itself as the first total telecom operator in Egypt providing all telecom services to its customers, including fixed and mobile voice and data services. The company – which also owns a 45% stake in Vodafone Egypt – said it has maintained a leadership position in the Egyptian telecom market by offering the most advanced technology, reliable infrastructure services and the widest network of submarine cables.

The collaboration has the aim of no less than aiming to revolutionise the country’s telecom landscape by introducing what it said is the “transformative power of 5G” to cities including Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza and Luxor. The partnership will see Nokia provide its comprehensive AirScale portfolio to deliver an exceptional network experience to Telecom Egypt’s customers, including faster data speeds, enhanced performance and capacity. Deployment will take place later this year.

Under the agreement, Nokia will deploy 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment from its AirScale portfolio, comprising baseband units and its latest generation of massive MIMO radios. These offerings use Nokia’s ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, designed for energy-efficiency, delivering 5G capacity and coverage as well as easing deployments. Nokia will also offer various professional services, encompassing deployment, integration and network optimisation.

Looking at the specifics of the new deployment, Nokia said 5G technology will bring numerous benefits to Telecom Egypt, including increased capacity for “seamless connectivity” in some of Egypt’s most densely populated areas. This is designed to support a wide range of applications and services, resulting in faster downloads, smoother streaming and improved network performance.

“This new agreement with Nokia further strengthens our strong partnership, reaffirms our commitment to providing cutting-edge digital services, and positions us at the forefront of the 5G revolution,” said Mohamed Al Fowey, vice-president and chief technology officer at Telecom Egypt.

“Both our consumer and enterprise customers can look forward to enhanced mobile broadband and exciting new applications that leverage the speed and low latency of 5G technology.”

The partnership is also attributed with enabling unprecedented levels of innovation and efficiency across various sectors, empowering organisations to thrive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape, said Nokia.

“This important 5G contract with Telecom Egypt extends our longstanding partnership,” added Tommi Uitto, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia. “The introduction of 5G services enabled by our extensive portfolio will open exciting new opportunities for people and businesses in Egypt to experience enhanced mobile connectivity. Our collaboration establishes a strong foundation for driving the nation’s digital transformation.”