Nazif inaugurates new IT network

Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ahmed Nazif inaugurated recently 'Raya' new communications company with total investment costs of L.E. 28 million. The new company will provide connecting services between Egyptian companies and their foreign counterparts via a network covering Egypt's governorates.

New investments will be pumped into this network to reach L.E. 50 million by the end of 2002 and L.E. 70 million during the first quarter of 2003. It will rise to L.E. 200 million over the next three years.

Nazif announced that the speed of the Internet will be increased next July to reach 600 megabytes per second instead of 400 megabytes per second and to reach 800 megabytes per second before the end of the year.

Nazif pointed out that Egypt will have the largest international capacity in the Arab region and will allow Internet users in Egypt to save time in connection services and avoid many problems.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Telecom Egypt Company Okail Bashir said that the speed increase is the result of cooperation between Telecom Egypt and Internet services company.

At present, free internet services cover the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh.