Egypt may offer a license for a fourth mobile operator if the current three mobile firms do not comply with pricing regulations. According to Amr Badawi, head of the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA), “There are no obstacles to issuing a fourth mobile license in Egypt … but offering the license will mainly depend on market demand in the coming period.”
Apparently, operators have objected to regulations which say that mobile-to-fixed minute rates must not exceed mobile-to-mobile rates between networks. Moreover, before setting these rules and regulations, NTRA has sent queries and surveys to the mobile operators but received no replies. “(They) have the right to approach the administrative court to object about the authority’s decisions,” Badawi added.
We’re not sure whether Egypt will actually get a fourth operator. We do, however, know the existing players which include Mobinil, Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat Egypt. Sounds like a stiff competition…
[Via: Reuters]