Egypt’s Internet market is projected to grow at double digits in the coming five years.

December 13, 2004

New research from the Arab Advisors Group on Egypt’s Internet and Datacomm market shows that Egypt’s Internet market is growing strongly. Spurred by infrastructure based competition and government initiatives, Egypt’s Internet accounts are projected, by the Arab Advisors Group, to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 23.7% between 2003 and 2008. We project Internet accounts to grow from around 647,000 by end of 2003 % to reach around 1.9 million by end of 2008, a penetration rate of 2.5%. Internet users are expected to grow from 1.94 million by end of 2003 to reach 5.6 million by end of 2008, a penetration rate of 7.4%. Egypt’s subscription-free Internet service has generated revenues amounting to US$ 66.2 million between January 2002 and August 2004.

A new report, “Egypt Internet and Datacomm Landscape Report 2004” was released to the Arab Advisors Group’s Media Strategic Research Services subscribers on December 5, 2004. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only US$ 850. The 86-pages report, which has 61 detailed exhibits, analyses the Egyptian Internet and datacomm market, its operators, content providers, value added services and its revenues and growth patterns. The report also includes 5-year historical information and 5 year projections of over 45 relevant indicators on the market. The report’s TOC can be received from the Arab Advisors Group upon request.

Any investment in this report will count towards an annual Strategic Research Service subscription should the service be acquired within three months from purchasing the report.

The investment can also count towards attending Arab Advisors’ second annual Media and Telecoms Convergence Conference on June 11 & 12 2005. More information on the conference can be seen at http://www.arabadvisors.com/Convergence/schedule.htm. Alternatively contact the Arab Advisors Group for full information on the conference, agenda and sponsorship opportunities.

“The Internet and Datacomm markets in Egypt are fully competitive, where market liberalization started in 1999. The licensing framework is a three-tier one. There are currently 4 Class A licensees (carrier level Internet providers) and 8 Class B licensees (Public Data Network providers). By end of September 2004, the Class C licensees reached 186. These are Internet Service Providers that obtain leased lines from Class A licensees.” Ms. Serene Zawaydeh, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst wrote in the report.

“The Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology (MCIT) has launched several initiatives to accelerate the growth of the Internet market, by making the service affordable to end users. The Free Internet Initiative, which was launched in January 2002, has enabled users to access the Internet from any phone line, without the need for a dial up subscription, and for the cost of a local phone call, which is EGP 1.23 (US$ 0.2) per hour. The total number of unique dialers has reached 1,013,459 by end August 2004, with a total of 782,011,194 minutes. The subscription-free Internet service has generated revenues amounting to US$ 66.2 million between January 2002 and August 2004.” Ms. Zawaydeh added.

Broadband enabled value added services are also starting to mushroom in Egypt: The Central Bank of Egypt has licensed 12 banks to provide E-banking services. The services include phone and mobile banking as well as Internet banking services. Egypt’s e-government portal provides several e-government services.

The Arab Advisors Group’s team of analysts in the region has already produced close to 310 reports on the Arab World’s communications and media markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group’s (www.arabadvisors.com) Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom). To date, Arab Advisors Group has served more than 210 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients.