(Ecofin Agency) - WIFI-calling is a transformative tool for bridging digital gaps, enhancing call reliability, and supporting Egypt’s broader goals of economic modernization and rural development. By leveraging this technology, Egypt is taking a proactive step toward ensuring accessible, high-quality communication for all its citizens.

Egypt has officially introduced WIFI-calling, a new service allowing mobile phone calls to be made via fixed internet networks. The initiative, announced at a conference on Monday, January 20, aims to address long-standing network coverage challenges and enhance the quality of telecommunications services nationwide.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat highlighted the service's potential to resolve coverage issues especially in indoor spaces with weak network connections and areas where mobile coverage is technically challenging. “WIFI-calling makes it easier for users to make and receive calls seamlessly,” Talaat stated.

The Wi-Fi calling service agreements were signed in a ceremony involving the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the four major telecom operators: Telecom Egypt, Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt, and e& Egypt. Signatories included the Executive President of NTRA Mohamed Shamroukh, CEO and Managing Director of Telecom Egypt Mohamed Nasr Eldin, CEO of Orange Egypt Yasser Shaker, CEO of Vodafone Egypt Mohamed Kamal Abdallah, and CEO of e& Egypt Hazem Metwally.

Developed over the past year in partnership with the four major mobile operators and the telecommunications regulator, WIFI-calling enables users to make and receive regular mobile calls through their home WIFI network instead of relying on mobile network towers. This service is particularly beneficial for residents in areas with weak mobile signals, such as lower floors of high-rise buildings or densely populated neighborhoods.

Egypt's National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has been actively tackling network coverage challenges, with a significant focus on improving mobile service quality. In 2023, the NTRA recorded 126,521 complaints related to mobile services, representing 39% of the 322,033 complaints received across all telecommunications services. In Q1 2024, the NTRA imposed fines totaling EGP 33 million (USD 688,948) on the country’s four mobile network operators for failing to meet quality-of-service (QoS) standards, a sharp increase from EGP 2.3 million in fines issued in 2023.

This highlights the pressing need for innovative solutions like WiFi calling. The launch of WiFi calling in Egypt directly addresses longstanding issues such as dropped calls, weak signals, and poor network coverage, particularly in densely populated urban areas or regions with challenging infrastructure. This initiative could significantly reduce consumer complaints, enhance user satisfaction, and support Egypt’s broader goals of improving telecommunications infrastructure and digital accessibility.

Hikmatu Bilali