Govt Awards Vodafone, Mobinil International License for EGP3.3bln

National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA) approved to issue two licenses for international calls for Vodafone and Mobinil (EMOB) in the first stage of the unified license, according to sources inside NTRA.

The move would allow landline monopoly Telecom Egypt (ETEL-CA)(TE)  to transform into a “integrated” operators.

The NTRA will allow the licenses for the two mobile operators without activation for two years to protect Telecom Egypt and insure an income in that period when providing mobile service, sources told Youm7 newspaper.

Vodafone and Mobinil will pay EGP1.8 billion, EGP1.5 billion respectively, sources revealed.

The mobile operators depend on the international gateway by Telecom Egypt  to provide international phone calls, and refused to buy the license after protesting terms issued by the NTRA 5 years ago which was considered “unfair”, while Etisalat obtained the license since initiating its Egyptian unit.