Internet Availability

Table
Internet usage and population growth statistics for Egypt. (Source: internetworldstats.com)

Beginning in 1993, part of Egypt, though mainly the government, had access to the Internet. In 1996, it became available to the public. At that time, the infrastructure for the Internet limited access even in urban areas. Since then, the Egyptian government has made progress in providing access to the internet in all of its urban areas. In 2002, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the “Free Internet Program.” This program allowed Egyptians to access the internet for roughly the same cost as a telephone call. Also, WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology is being used in rural areas to increase the number of subscribers, while at the same time bypassing the operations needed to build an infrastructure such as cables, telephone lines, and a framework to connect them all. WiMAX is also providing areas of investment for companies like Intel, which has installed a network in the rural town of Oseem near the Nile River. The network has a transmission capability of 30 kilometers.