(Ecofin Agency) - Egypt's National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) announced last October 9 a financial package of EGP324 million ($20.6 million) to improve telecoms coverage on five strategic national roads by early 2022. The telecoms regulator revealed that a limited call for tender will soon be opened for this purpose, for companies authorized to establish and operate telecom base stations in the country.

NTRA says the first targeted road axis runs through the June 30 axis, from the Cairo-Ain Sokhna road to the Cairo-Ismailia desert road connecting the governorates of Ismailia and Suez. The second axis is in the governorate of New Valley. The third one is in the governorate of Aswan. The fourth connects Giza and Beni Suef governorates and the fifth axis is in the governorate of Minya. The projects will be financed through the Universal Service Fund (USF).

The project is part of the integrated plan to cover new roads with quality telecom services; 17 strategic roads have already seen their access to telecom networks improved in recent months. This makes a total of 2,700 km of roads for EGP862 million.

Through the improvement of the telecom coverage on the main roads of the country, the Egyptian telecom regulator wants to ensure that users are reachable when on the move and in case of incidents (breakdown, accidents, etc.).

Muriel Edjo