Editing Telecommunications in Egypt (section)

== History ==
The origins of telecommunications in Egypt traces back to 1854 when the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Eastern Telegraph Company]] constructed a telegraph line between [[Cairo Governorate|Cairo]] and the [[Alexandria Governorate|Alexandria]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Telecom Egypt goes live with Ascade's Routing Solution|url=http://www.ascade.com/about-us/news/telecom-egypt-press-release/|accessdate=3 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Period of Muhammad Ali|url=http://www.egyptianagriculture.com/muhammad_ali.html|accessdate=3 April 2012}}</ref> Egypt's first telephone line was installed between Cairo and Alexandria in 1881, and later that year, the Egyptian government acquired the Eastern Telephone Company, establishing the Telephone and Telegraph Authority.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Information Society Watch - Egypt|url=http://www.giswatch.org/en/country-report/civil-society-participation/egypt}}</ref>

In 1957, Law No. 107 transferred the assets of the Eastern Telegraph Company and other telecom providers to the [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technology|Ministry of Telecommunications]]. Presidential Decree No. 709 of the same year placed all wire and wireless communications under the jurisdiction of the Wire and Wireless Communications Authority, which reported to the Ministry of Transport.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hashish|first=Mohamed|title=The Egyptian Legislation Governing the Information and Communication Technology Sector|url=http://www.arablegalportal.org/financial/legaldocs/ICT/egypt/Egypt-ICT-legislation.pdf|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215505/http://www.arablegalportal.org/financial/legaldocs/ICT/egypt/Egypt-ICT-legislation.pdf|archivedate=2016-03-03}}</ref>

In 1980, the Arab Republic of Egypt National Telecommunications Organization (ARENTO) was formed as an autonomous public utility under the Ministry of Transport.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gala|first=Ahmed|title=Welfare Impact of Telecom Reform in Egypt: An Ex Ante Analysis|year=1999|publisher=World Bank|editor=Samiha Fawzy and Ahmed Gala|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s-KneTP6UfIC&q=Welfare+Impact+of+Telecom+Reform+in+Egypt:+An+Ex+Ante+Analysis|accessdate=2012-04-03|isbn=9780821344828}}</ref> Under Law No. 19 of 1998, ARENTO was renamed Telecom Egypt and restructured as a joint stock company, with the Egyptian government retaining full ownership.<ref name="merisratings1">{{cite web|title=Middle East Rating & Investor Service: Telecom Egypt S.A.E.|url=http://www.merisratings.com/UserFiles/File/Telecom%20Egypt%20Report.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225211441/http://www.merisratings.com/UserFiles/File/Telecom%20Egypt%20Report.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-12-25}}</ref>

The liberalization of Egypt’s telecommunications sector began in 1998 and progressed gradually over the following decades. The private sector played an increasing role in mobile telephony and internet services, contributing to the sector’s expansion. In 2004, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) was established under Law 15 to support Egypt’s digital transformation. ITIDA was tasked with implementing e-signature legislation and promoting an export-oriented IT sector. Over the years, it played a critical role in advancing e-business services, facilitating digital security measures, and supporting Egypt’s ICT-driven economic development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ITIDA to boost Egypt's digital transformation through new e-signature licenses |url=https://www.businesstodayegypt.com/Article/4/338/ITIDA-to-boost-Egypt%E2%80%99s-digital-transformation-through-new-e-signature |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=Business Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Decree of the Minister of Communications and Information Technology No. 109 of 2005 Issuing the Executive Directive of Law No. 15/2004 on E-signature and Establishment of the Information Technology Industry Development Authority (ITIDA), Egypt, WIPO Lex |url=https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/13700 |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=www.wipo.int}}</ref>

The market underwent official deregulation in 2006 following Egypt’s commitment to the [[World Trade Organization]] Information Technology Agreement in 2003. This move aimed to open the telecommunications market, encourage competition, and attract foreign investment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WTO {{!}} News - 2003 News items - China, Egypt join WTO's Information Technology Agreement |url=https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news03_e/news_china_egypt_25apr03_e.htm |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=www.wto.org}}</ref> In 2007, Egypt had approximately 10 million fixed phone lines, 31 million mobile phones, and 8.1 million internet users. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Egypt: number of internet users 2024 {{!}} Statista |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/462957/internet-users-egypt/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241224190459/https://www.statista.com/statistics/462957/internet-users-egypt/ |archive-date=2024-12-24 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>

Egypt's ICT sector has experienced significant growth in recent years, consistently outpacing the nation's overall economic expansion. In the fiscal year 2022/2023, the sector achieved a growth rate of 15.2%, contributing 5.1% to Egypt's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This marks an increase from a 4.4% contribution in 2019/2020. Total investments in the ICT sector reached approximately $4.2 billion in 2022/2023, reflecting a 20% increase from the previous fiscal year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/egypt-digital-economy | title=Egypt - Digital Economy | date=20 September 2024 | publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce | access-date=28 February 2025 }}</ref>