In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt, unveiled the company’s visionary roadmap. Highlighting new projects and technological advancements, he detailed how Telecom Egypt is poised to redefine the telecommunications landscape. The company’s center of attention is pioneering initiatives, avant-garde solutions, and a revolutionized ICT infrastructure, along with next-generation subsea cable networks. These efforts underscore Telecom Egypt’s commitment to advancing connectivity in Egypt and beyond, catering to the surging demand for high-capacity traffic.
Can you start by giving us an overview of Telecom Egypt’s current strategic priorities?
At Telecom Egypt, our strategic vision is deeply anchored around advancing the digital landscape on the national, regional, and global levels through a comprehensive, multifaceted approach. With over 170 years of experience in telecommunications, our foremost priority has always been to enhance connectivity, a mission we are pursuing through the comprehensive expansion of our telecommunications infrastructure. This year, we announced our new strategy, “WE-DRIVE,” which encapsulates Telecom Egypt’s core values and aspirations across six pillars: creating value in core business, enhancing customer relationships, fostering agility and sustainability, leading the digital wave, unlocking the potential of e-business and driving innovation and partnerships.
This strategy outlines our commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving digital innovation. We are investing in network infrastructure, leveraging data and AI, expanding our B2B offerings, and fostering partnerships to create tailored solutions that meet the evolving demands of the digital era.
Our goal is to position Telecom Egypt as the preferred digital partner for businesses in Egypt. We aim to achieve this by providing secure, scalable, and innovative solutions that empower our customers to thrive in the digital age.
WE-DRIVE emphasizes enhancing operational efficiency, promoting sustainability, and creating value for our customers and shareholders. By focusing on these key areas, we are confident we can lead the digital wave and unlock the full potential of e-business in Egypt.
What are the main tactics that Telecom Egypt adopts to achieve these strategic priorities?
We are tackling several critical areas: First, we are significantly expanding our fiber optic networks, which form the backbone of modern high-speed communication and offer unparalleled bandwidth and latency improvements compared to traditional copper lines. By deploying state-of-the-art fiber optic cable systems across both urban and rural areas, we aim to deliver ultra-fast and reliable internet services. This expansion is not merely about increasing capacity, but also about ensuring resiliency needed to maintain service continuity and meet the growing data demands of both consumers and businesses. Second, we are investing in emerging technologies and innovations to ensure we remain at the forefront of the telecommunications industry. For example, by deploying next-generation networks, we are enabling higher speeds, lower latency, and greater connectivity density. We also secured Egypt’s first 5G license, which is pivotal for supporting advanced use cases such as
autonomous vehicles, smart cities, fintech, enhanced gaming, precise positioning, energy management, among others. Additionally, we are exploring advancements in network automation to enhance operational efficiency and improve service agility.
Third, our role extends beyond being Egypt’s telecom infrastructure developer; we are also a key enabler of the country’s broader digital transformation objectives. This involves integrating our services with national projects aimed at enhancing digital governance, e-commerce, and digital inclusion. By collaborating with government entities and private sector partners, we are contributing to initiatives that drive economic growth, improve public services, and foster a more connected and digitally empowered society.
In tandem with our fiber optic expansion, we are also currently focusing on the second phase of our largest data center, the Regional Data Hub or RDH, which serves as a critical node in our network. We are also actively exploring partnerships with global developers to address the growing market demand. Our data centers are designed to support high-capacity data processing and storage, ensuring that we can meet the demands of cloud computing and big data analytics. They are equipped with sophisticated security measures to protect sensitive data and maintain service security and integrity.
Last but not least, Telecom Egypt’s strategic priorities are increasingly hitched on the expansion of subsea systems, which serve as a critical component of our growth strategy. By investing in and enhancing our subsea cable infrastructure, we are positioning Egypt as a pivotal player in global telecommunications and a key connectivity hub bridging Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. This expansion is designed to boost our capacity to handle the surging demand for high-speed internet and data services, aligning with our broader goals of enhancing digital connectivity, supporting innovation, and driving sustainable development in the telecommunication sector.
What are the main projects Telecom Egypt is working on, particularly those involving innovative technologies and infrastructure upgrades, and what impact do you expect them to have on the Egyptian market?
Telecom Egypt is currently implementing several pivotal projects that highlight our commitment to advancing telecommunications infrastructure and services. Spearheading a range of transformative initiatives designed to revolutionize the telecommunications sector in Egypt, these efforts have already resulted in substantial enhancement in fixed internet speeds and significantly boosted the infrastructure’s capacity to manage the unprecedented surge in data traffic. These upgrades are playing an important role in driving Egypt’s digital transformation, ensuring that the country’s infrastructure is well-equipped to support the evolving needs of both consumers and businesses.
As the leading player in the Egyptian ICT market, Telecom Egypt is on track to achieve full fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) connectivity for 100% of households by the end of 2024, with approximately 96% already completed. Concurrently, the international internet network capacity has seen a noteworthy 37% increase this year, alongside continuous upgrades to core and transmission network capacities. These advancements are integral to the company’s vision of upgrading the ICT ecosystem through substantial investments in Egypt’s ICT infrastructure.
With steady steps and fast pace, Telecom Egypt is actively modernizing the country’s digital infrastructure by building and commercializing Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and Fiber-to-the-Site (FTTS) networks. These efforts are integral to the company’s goal of converting all areas to FTTH networks as part of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Strategy “Digital Egypt.”
Telecom Egypt is also laying the groundwork for future applications of IoT, AI, and other next-generation technologies across various industry use cases by deploying or upgrading the fiber networks connecting industrial zones, business parks, and smart cities. In parallel, the company is deploying fiber-backed mobile sites across the domestic market. These efforts will be further accelerated by the commercial launch of 5G, empowering businesses to effectively analyze larger volumes of data, thereby improving efficiency and scalability.
Additionally, Telecom Egypt is strategically positioning itself as a leading player in the data center industry, leveraging its extensive submarine cables network and international infrastructure to attract global hyperscalers and cloud service providers. By offering world-class facilities and connectivity solutions, Telecom Egypt aims to foster partnerships and attract key investors to establish new data centers in Egypt. This strategic move not only strengthens Telecom Egypt’s position as a regional digital hub but also contributes significantly to the country’s economic growth and development.
These initiatives reflect Telecom Egypt’s commitment to enhancing service quality and connectivity for its customers by offering faster internet speeds, more reliable connections, and advanced cloud solutions. These advancements are set to significantly impact the Egyptian market by driving technological solutions, improving operational efficiencies, enabling the adoption of cutting-edge technologies across multiple sectors, and fostering a more connected, digitally empowered society. With more projects in the pipeline, Telecom Egypt remains focused on elevating the customer experience and addressing the ever-growing demands of the telecommunications industry.
How do these developments align with your strategic goals, and what impact do you anticipate they will have on your market share and future growth?
Telecom Egypt’s strategic goals are centered on enhancing network capabilities, expanding digital infrastructure, and driving progress across the entire telecommunications sector. These initiatives are aligned with Telecom Egypt’s vision to deliver top-notch solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers while promoting Egypt’s position as a leader in the digital economy.
By modernizing our digital infrastructure through strategic partnerships with global ICT players, we aim to significantly improve service delivery and expand our market presence. These developments are expected to enhance customer satisfaction, generate new revenue streams, and solidify Telecom Egypt’s market position. As we continue to pursue our strategy of investing in innovative technologies and infrastructure upgrades, we anticipate further growth in our services portfolio, which will enhance our value proposition and drive sustained future growth.
Could you update us on the latest developments in Telecom Egypt’s subsea cables sector? How does it contribute to enhancing global connectivity and data flow?
Telecom Egypt has made significant strides in the subsea cables sector, leveraging Egypt’s strategic position at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. As a key player in this domain, we are enabling more than 90% of the international Eurasian traffic that traverses Egypt’s rich forum of subsea infrastructure. Our role extends beyond landing new cables, as we ensure a smooth, efficient process for local permits, approvals, and logistics related to cable landings. Additionally, we provide top-tier landing facilities and technical support in Egypt through qualified teams, complemented by new diverse terrestrial crossings that further enhance global connectivity.
In addition, over the past year, Telecom Egypt has embarked on a series of transformative projects that underscore its strong belief in advancing global connectivity. A landmark initiative was the launch of WeConnect in September 2023, a groundbreaking platform designed to revolutionize the subsea telecommunications landscape. WeConnect is an open and neutral ecosystem meticulously engineered to integrate an extensive array of more than 21 operational and forthcoming subsea systems, 10 strategically positioned cable landing stations and 10 distinct and varied crossing routes along Egypt’s 3,000km coastline on both the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, offering higher levels of resiliency, diversity and protection.
Leveraging cutting-edge optical fiber technology and advanced network management systems, WeConnect facilitates seamless interconnectivity and interoperability across diverse international networks. This initiative marks a significant leap in establishing a resilient and future-proof digital infrastructure poised to meet the escalating demands for high-speed data and global communications while reinforcing Telecom Egypt’s pivotal role in the international telecommunications ecosystem.
What are Telecom Egypt’s future plans and investments to expand its subsea cable network?
Connecting subsea cable systems in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, Telecom Egypt’s future plans in the subsea cable sector are basically to expand our footprint via the development of new subsea cable systems and routes as well as enhance our terrestrial infrastructure to maintain resilient and flexible networks. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening our position as a leading hub for international connectivity, better serving the surging demand for data traffic. This includes exploring new partnerships to develop additional subsea cable systems, building more diverse landing stations and trans-Egypt crossing routes in new territories, and offering more solutions.
One of our flagship initiatives is the expansion of our Sinai Peninsula infrastructure, which provides the global community with unique connectivity options between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Expanding our Sinai infrastructure with new, diverse layers of connectivity, positions it as a key hub in the international trans-Egypt network. This expansion involves the development of four cable landing stations, three of which are located in Sinai and a fourth in Port Said, named ‘Port Said 2.’ Of the three stations in Sinai, two are situated along the Red Sea, while the third is positioned on the Mediterranean coast. This expansion also includes 4 diverse terrestrial crossing routes connecting the 4 landing stations—which are integrated with our rich existing network of 10 landing stations and 10 crossing routes outside Sinai. We also plan to land 7 additional systems in Sinai, 5 in Sharm El Sheikh, and 2 in Taba. These efforts will significantly enhance our global connectivity offerings and establish Sinai as a critical node in the international telecommunications landscape.
What are Telecom Egypt’s strategies for partnering with other operators to expand its subsea cable network?
Telecom Egypt collaborates with more than 170 partners, including mega subsea players, to build and diversify subsea systems and infrastructure both in Egypt and around the world. Our strategy is to add value for our partners by supporting them in maximizing the use of their assets and ultimately echoing all the way through to the end-user experience. Our continuouslydeveloping infrastructure, which carries more than 225Tbps of international traffic between East and West, has attracted significant partnerships. For example, we have teamed up with NaiTel to develop the “Coral Bridge,” a new repeaterless, high-fiber subsea cable system linking Taba in Egypt with Aqaba in Jordan. This system is projected to enhance regional connectivity by providing a direct, high-capacity link across the Gulf of Aqaba.
Additionally, the Medusa Subsea Cable System, connecting the two shores of the Mediterranean, will utilize Sinai’s new crossing routes and the Coral Bridge to connect to Jordan and onwards to other Middle Eastern destinations. These developments underscore Telecom Egypt’s commitment to creating a resilient network, solidifying our position as a leader in the competitive industry.
Furthermore, we have established a joint venture with 4iG Group to create a new entry point to Europe via Albania through our joint EAGLE (Egypt-Albania Gateway Link to Europe) subsea system. This initiative promotes diversity in the Mediterranean basin and represents a revolutionary step in global communication, driven by a historic joint venture between Telecom Egypt and 4iG Group. EAGLE system addresses the critical need for alternative and resilient connectivity routes from Africa and Asia to Europe by leveraging the strategic geographical positions of Egypt and Albania.
Our strategy also involves investing in advanced technologies to better manage increasing data demand and improve route diversity. We actively participate in international consortiums to promote the establishment of new cables that connect emerging markets. This forward-thinking approach is critical to maintain Telecom Egypt’s status as a major contributor within the evolving global telecommunications environment.
Any final thoughts you would like to share with our audience?
The significance of telecommunications in driving development and fostering communication cannot be overstated— fiber and data are indeed the new gold. At Telecom Egypt, we are devoted to development in order to maintain our excellence and offer cutting-edge solutions and services to our partners and customers.
Looking ahead, the future of telecommunications will be defined by the integration of advanced technologies such as 5G, AI, IoT, and quantum computing. These innovations will not only transform how we connect with each other but will also revolutionize industries, from healthcare and education to finance and smart cities. At Telecom Egypt, we recognize the transformative potential of these technologies, and we are positioning ourselves at the forefront of this evolution.
To that end, we continue investing in evolving our infrastructure, adopting advanced technologies, and fostering global partnerships. We are fully embracing digital transformation to support economic growth while also exploring emerging trends to enhance our service offerings.
Our dedication to delivering exceptional services, fostering innovation, and contributing to Egypt’s digital and economic development is unwavering. Through our projects and initiatives, we aim to drive positive change, close the digital gap, and open new opportunities for all our stakeholders. Our ultimate goal is to be recognized globally as a leader in shaping the telecommunications industry and to play a pivotal role in the digital future, where connectivity is seamless, inclusive, and transformative.
