Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt has signed the largest spectrum allocation deal in the history of its telecommunications sector, marking a major milestone in the country’s digital transformation strategy and the rollout of next-generation mobile services.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the signing ceremony on Saturday evening at the historic Mohamed Ali Palace in Shubra, where agreements were finalized to allocate new radio spectrum to Egypt’s four mobile operators. The deal grants a total of 410 megahertz of additional spectrum at a combined value of approximately $3.5 billion, an amount equivalent to all spectrum allocated to mobile operators in Egypt since mobile services were first introduced three decades ago.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and attended by senior government officials, including Communications Minister Amr Talaat, Local Development Minister Manal Awad, Qalyubia Governor Ayman Atiya, and the head of the National Media Authority, as well as representatives of the armed forces’ signals directorate. Ambassadors from the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and France were also present, alongside members of parliament, telecom executives, and industry stakeholders.
Prime Minister Madbouly was received by Minister Talaat and Mohamed Shamroukh, chief executive of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, before the start of the ceremony, which included a multimedia drone show highlighting the four mobile operators, fifth-generation mobile technology, and Egypt’s new spectrum strategy for the period from 2026 to 2030.
Executives from Telecom Egypt, Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt, and e& Egypt delivered remarks outlining their companies’ investment plans and expectations for the expanded spectrum holdings. A short documentary showcasing the achievements of Egypt’s telecommunications sector was also screened.
The newly signed agreements form the backbone of Egypt’s Spectrum Strategy 2026–2030, which aims to modernize spectrum management, improve network efficiency, and ensure the sustainability of the country’s digital infrastructure. The additional spectrum is expected to significantly enhance service quality for consumers, support the expansion of 5G networks, and strengthen market competitiveness at a time of rapidly rising demand for mobile data and advanced digital applications.
Minister Talaat described the deal as an unprecedented step in the sector’s history, noting that it effectively doubles the spectrum capacity made available to mobile operators over the past 30 years in a single transaction. He said the expansion builds on the launch of 5G services in June 2025 and is designed to ensure that networks are capable of supporting future technologies and data-intensive applications.
“This is not a routine technical measure,” Talaat said. “It is a long-term strategic decision that reflects the state’s vision and its partnership with the private sector to reshape Egypt’s telecommunications infrastructure. Mobile and fixed internet services remain a cornerstone of building a digital Egypt.”
The spectrum agreements were signed on the sidelines of the event between the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and licensed mobile operators, setting out the regulatory and operational framework for the new frequency allocations.
Government officials say the strategy aligns Egypt with international best practices and recommendations from the International Telecommunication Union, while also reinforcing the country’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for telecommunications and information technology. The expanded spectrum is expected to attract further domestic and foreign investment, support innovation, and improve network performance as Egypt accelerates its transition toward a fully digital economy.
