MCIT, TE & Nortel Networks cooperate for Telecom Advancement

Nortel Networks, within the scope of the first agreement will participate in MCIT's Professional Training Program. Moreover, new regional centers for technical support and human resources development aim at exporting value-added services in the range of $8 million over the coming five years also come within the scope of the same agreement.

This agreement in concordant with and fully supports the Ministry's Telecom Master Plan of continued expansion and modernization of the national telecommunication infrastructure. The agreement is an expression of the long lasting relationship between Nortel and MCIT.

The second agreement, concluded between Telecom Egypt and Nortel, aims at the transfer of technology know-how and modernization of the network, through the implementation of next generation networks (NGN).

Engineer Akil Beshir, Chairman of Telecom Egypt and Michel Clement, President FMEA, Nortel Networks signed the second agreement which involves implementing CDMA 1XRTT technology, to serve remote areas and to release congestions in urban areas in Cairo, Alexandria. Soft switches and next generation networks will be deployed- known of ease and speed of deployment - to integrate voice and image with data networks.

As a result of those two agreements new developments in TE's network; and positive impact on the national economy and would be summarized as follows:

• Increase in the teledensity
• Creation of over 150 work opportunity during the operations of the upgrade of TE's network
• Increase in TE's revenues due to the introduction of new value-added services
• New investments in local industry development estimated at $15million
• More than $8million in exports of telecom services to the Middle East and the Arab Region
• Training of 700 engineers, newly graduates, and TE's employees on state-of-the-art telecom technology

Eng. Beshir, stated that Nortel is the newest vendor/partner to Telecom Egypt, "in a short time, Nortel has demonstrated quality services and high level of support." He added, "In Telecom Egypt we look forward to expand and modernize our network in cooperation with Nortel."

"Over the past ten years, Nortel has demonstrated its commitment to Egypt" said Mr. Clement. "We aim to transfer knowledge and create additional value inside the country." added Mr. Clement.