Third mobile license receives mixed reactions
CAIRO: Egyptian authorities have received more than 11 bids for the third mobile license since it was first announced. The winner will compete with Vodafone Egypt and Mobinil in the Egyptian mobile phone market, both of which have dominated the market. The bid will start at LE. 2.5 billion.
Are Egyptian mobile phone users satisfied with the two current networks, or are they hoping the third entrant will provide a change. The Daily Star Egypt took to the streets to gauge the public’s opinion.
The two networks are enough; there is strong competition between them. We are the winners in such a competition. Remember when having a mobile phone needed a fortune? Now, everybody has a mobile phone.Mohammed, student
Everybody owns a mobile phone now. There is no place for a third network. I don’t think it will have a chance in the Egyptian market. I wish they could reduce the costs of the calls, but in all cases I don’t expect they’ll have success.Nawal, civil servant
We definitely need a license for a new mobile network. Both existing networks are too greedy. They gained what they could never have expected from the Egyptian market. We should fight monopolies in all fields. Competition between different companies is in the customer’s advantage. Ahmad, student
In terms of coverage, we don’t need any new networks. Both networks cover all of Egypt. But when it comes to business, we need someone to compete with them to reduce the prices of the call.Ahmad, dentist
A new network means new blood in the market. It also means more job opportunities and it may provide more services to the Egyptian customer and convince him to switch to another new network. But, if it will be just another GSM network, there are no big expectations behind it.Noha, engineer
We can see the offers that both companies are presenting people now, although the new network will not be available in the market soon. They want to have as many subscribers as they can before they have real competition. Rumors are everywhere and all are saying that the new network will be the best.Ahmad, student
It took both networks more than a couple of years to offer good services with adequate coverage all over Egypt. I think the third one will need a lot of time to represent a real threat to them. Let’s just wait and see. Mona, housewife
Monopolies have really hurt the Egyptian citizen; I wish we had four or five networks. The owners of both networks made their fortune from Egyptians wallets. Five years ago, we paid 10 times more than what we pay now for mobile phones, and that was because of the monopoly. I got my phone line for LE 1,200, while now, with less than LE 100, you can have one. Is this fair?Ali, teacher
The views expressed in Word on the Street do not necessarily reflect the views of The Daily Star Egypt.
