24 January 2025
Egyptian telecom operators have officially launched the Wi-Fi calling service to improve the quality of services provided to consumers.
Telecom Egypt, Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt and e& Egypt, have reached an agreement with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ANRT).
"This service ensures high-quality and crystal-clear voice calls through Wi-Fi networks, especially in areas where mobile network is limited, such as some high-rise buildings and residential or commercial properties where mobile signal is weak," said the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in a statement.
The solution is the culmination of a year-long collaboration between the telecom regulator and operators to develop an innovative technical solution and establish a robust system that ensures high-quality coverage. ICT Minister Amr Talaat sees it as part of ongoing efforts to expand and improve telecommunications services nationwide. For example, the government is implementing the ‘Decent Life’ project, which is being rolled out in three phases and aims to connect all new highways and several villages. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2025. The minister also announced that more than 3,000 telecom towers had been deployed across the country by 2024.
Despite its potential to improve call quality in areas with poor mobile coverage, Wi-Fi calling has limitations that could hamper its adoption. It relies on fixed broadband networks, which had only 11.46 million users in Egypt as of the end of October 2024, according to the telecoms regulator. In addition, the service is inoperable in areas with no mobile coverage at all and is only available to subscribers with compatible smartphones.
