Energy Deficit, Dollar Price Reversely Affect Mobile Network Services; Says Dewidar

The increase in the US dollar’s price against the Egyptian pound will be reversely affecting the quality of the mobile network services, said Eng. Hatem Dewidar, CEO –Vodafone Egypt in a press conference held Tuesday afternoon.

Dewidar has pointed out that Egypt imports all the equipments pivotal to enhance the network quality from abroad; which marks the necessity of the US currency.

During the press conference, Vodafone Egypt CEO has further referred to the most major challenges the mobile operators in the country currently face; notably the increasing price of both the US currency and the energy.  He explained that witnessing successive economic crises alongside the fuel shortage can contribute to intensify the current challenges facing by the mobile services, particularly in remote areas and governorates outside Cairo and Alexandria.

Moreover, Dewidar stated that replacing the traditional forms of fuel with the renewable energy will not provide workable solutions for boosting the mobile networks. The cost of providing  renewable energy sources is remarkably high, besides such sources require vast areas up to 200 square meter, He noted.

Dewidar has also highlighted Egyptian mobile operators’ concerns over the repetitive power cut by the coming summer, noting that Vodafone Egypt had suffered last summer from the power crisis which had negatively affected the quality of its services.