Deal totals $ 3.5 billion-investments made by four mobile operators to expand utilization of radio spectrum

New frequency bands provided equal to entire frequency bands provided within past 3 decades

Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, witnessed this evening at Mohamed Ali Palace in Shubra the signing ceremony of the largest frequency deal in the history of telecom sector since the introduction of mobile services in Egypt. The event was organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in the presence of Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, Engineer Ayman Attia, Governor of Qalyubia; Mr. Ahmed El-Muslimany, Chairman of the National Media Authority, Major General Hani Mahmoud Mansour, Director of Signals for the Armed Forces, along with a number of officials.

Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and France also took part in the event, along with several Parliament members, as well as many executive leaders from telecom sector, and representatives of relevant authorities, organizations, and telecom operators in Egypt.

Dr. Mostafa Madbouly was received by Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Engineer Mohamed Shamroukh, the Executive President of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA).

The Prime Minister proceeded to the theater hall in the courtyard of Mohamed Ali Palace to begin the proceedings, which started with a welcoming speech, followed by a drone show featuring artistic displays with LED lights in the sky to form the logos and symbols of the four mobile operators, as well as 5G mobile services. The event also included the announcement of the Spectrum Strategy (2026–2030). Afterwards, speeches were delivered by Engineer Tamer El-Mahdy, Managing Director and CEO of Telecom Egypt, Mr. Hisham Mahran, CEO of Orange Egypt, Mr. Mohamed Kamal Abdallah, CEO and Managing Director of Vodafone Egypt; and Engineer Hazem Metwally, CEO of e& Egypt.

This was followed by a short documentary film entitled: “The Achievements of the Telecom Sector in Egypt,” and a speech delivered by Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

Furthermore, Prime Minister attended the ceremony of signing agreements for the allocation of radio spectrum to mobile operators. The deal includes providing new frequency bands available to the four telecom operators, totalling 410 MHz, with a value of nearly 3.5 billion US dollars. The size of the newly allocated frequency bands is equivalent to the total size of spectrum that was assigned to mobile operators since the introduction of mobile services in Egypt.

This comes within the framework of launching the Spectrum Strategy 2026–2030. NTRA’s allocation of new frequency bands represents a qualitative leap in the management and utilization of spectrum resources. It contributes to supporting the sustainability and development of telecom infrastructure, improving the quality of services provided to citizens, enhancing the performance of 5G services, strengthening market competitiveness, and ensuring network readiness for digital transformation—thereby supporting the implementation of Egypt’s Digital Strategy.

It also keeps pace with the steadily increasing demand for data services and advanced digital applications, supports digital innovation, and reinforces Egypt’s position as a leading regional ICT hub.

Moreover, Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, affirmed that today marks an unprecedented step in the history of the ICT sector, through the conclusion of the largest frequency deal witnessed by Egypt’s mobile sector since its inception thirty years ago. The deal, valued at nearly 3.5 billion US dollars, involves agreements to provide an additional 410 MHz to mobile operators, meaning that in a single transaction, the available spectrum capacity for operators has been doubled compared to what was allocated over the past three decades.

This massive expansion in spectrum capacity adds to what was achieved in June 2025 with the launch of 5G services, ensuring the readiness of networks to accommodate future applications.
The Minister pointed out that the signing of today’s spectrum allocation agreements, with their enormous investment value and clear strategic significance, is not a mere technical procedure, but rather a long-term strategic step. It reflects the convergence of the State’s vision with private sector partnership to reshape Egypt’s telecom infrastructure. Digital infrastructure, in its two major components, mobile services and fixed internet, has always represented a fundamental pillar in building digital Egypt, added the Minister.

It is worth noting that, on the sidelines of today’s events held at Mohamed Ali Palace, regulatory agreements were also signed between NTRA and the licensed mobile operators to obtain the newly allocated frequencies.

The launch of the new Spectrum Strategy comes as part of the State’s ongoing efforts to develop and regulate telecom sector and expand its services, in line with the latest global technological advancements. It aims to meet users’ needs with efficiency and high quality, encourage both national and international investments in this vital sector, enhance network performance, and ensure the provision of services at quality levels consistent with recognized international standards and benchmarks, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).