National Broadband Plan

awarded the license to offer voice telephony services, as this service is not includedin the Class A, B, or C license. The current licensing scheme for Internet and dataprovisioning is being revised by the NTRA 5 .2. Global peeringThe license for Global Peering gives the licensee the right to build and operate theinfrastructure necessary for connecting between Class A licensees, Class B licensees,electronic content providers, domain name providers, and data centers. There isonly one company that has acquired this license in 2006.3. International ServicesInternational services are classified into two different types of licenses: 1)International Services and Gateway license, and, and 2) International SubmarineCable license. The International Services and Gateway license gives the operatorthe right to set up, operate and rent the core infrastructure necessary for establishingInternational Telecommunications Gateways, in addition to offering internationaltelephony service. Currently, TE and Etisalat 6 are the only two companies that haveobtained this license that is valid for 15 years, ending in 2021 and 2022 respectively.The International Services and Gateways have been liberalized in mid 2006 with theaim of attracting foreign investments and promoting competition in the area ofinternational telecom cables.The International Submarine Cable license gives the operator the right to set up,operate and rent a submarine cable network and the core infrastructure necessaryfor establishing International Communications. The Arabian Company for SubmarineCable, TE and MENA are currently the only operators that hold this license that isvalid for a term of 20 years and renewable for an additional 5-year term only.1.2.4. National Broadband Applications Priority Areas in EgyptThe demand side of broadband is led by the users. Accordingly, plannedapplications should be geared to real public needs through a bottom-up approach.This approach has gained momentum in stimulating ICT development in ruralregions, not as a replacement for top-down policies, but as a powerful addition inrural areas where there is insufficient demand for the private sector to invest. Top-Bottom approaches in stimulating broadband applications should rest on thoroughpre-project assessments to ensure that the planned broadband applicationsrespond to actual demand and to monitor new demands. In all these areas, werealize that broadband development is increasingly led by users. “Demand- side5More details can be found at:http://www.tra.gov.eg/presentations/LicensedTelecomTree09102011_En.pdf6 Etisalat has this license to serve its own customerseMisr National Broadband Plan Broadband Market Status 22