By Mohamed Alaa El-Din
Telecom Egypt (TE) will present its demands for a unified licence to new Minister of Communications Yasser Al-Qadi at a meeting this week, according to TE Chief Executive Osama Yassin.
Yassin told Daily News Egypt that the meeting would also include a review for the minister of communications of the company’s financial position and strategic plans. He added that reducing the prices of communications between TE and Egypt’s mobile companies had not been discussed with ElKady at previous meetings.
Yassin said the company had previously called for a mobile licence from previous minister of communications Khaled Negm, which would allow TE to work as an integrated operator. Although he refused to comment on Negm’s objection over the unified licence, Yassin said TE remains in contact with the ministry and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) in demanding a unified licence.
At the time of his ministerial appointment, Negm said the unified licence was not a priority. His comments came despite the great strides undertaken by his predecessor, Atef Helmy, towards the licence’s launch following over 18 months of negotiations and studies. Yassin said that Negm’s lack of support was the reason behind his clash with TE’s executive management, which ended with their resignation, including that of the former chief executive, Mohamed El-Nawawy.
Yassin added the unified licence file has not been deferred, and that the company will maintain its right to switch to an integrated operator to drive growth and positively affect the communications market.
Last week, TE’s board of directors held a meeting to elect a new chairman of the board, nominating Waleed Gad in place of Mohamed Salem who resigned.
