RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONS/C/W/195
22 June 2001
(01-3134)
Council for Trade in Services Original:  English
CERTIFICATION
Schedule of Commitments in Basic Telecommunications
EGYPT
The attached draft Schedule of Commitments in Basic Telecommunications has been
submitted to the WTO Secretariat by the Government of Egypt with a request to initiate its
certification in accordance with the "Procedures for the Certification of Rectifications or
Improvements to Schedules of Specific Commitments" adopted by the Council for Trade in Services(S/L/84).
Accordingly, if no objections are communicated to the Secretariat within 45 days from the
date of this communication, this certification pr ocedure shall be considered concluded and the
attached draft Schedule of Commitments in Basic Telecommunications shall enter into force and willbe deemed to constitute an integral part of the Schedule of Specific Commitments of Egypt under the
GATS (GATS/SC/30).S/C/W/195
Page 2 EGYPT – SCHEDULE OF SP ECIFIC COMMITMENTS
Modes of supply: 1)  Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial Presence 4) Presence  of  natural persons
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limit ations on National Treatment Additional Commitments
2.C. TELECOMMUNICATION
SERVICES
This schedule does not include
telecommunication services
supplied for distribution ofradio or televisionprogramming for directreception by service consumer.(3) (a) Licenses from the
Telecommunications RegulatoryAuthority are to be granted in atransparent manner according to theeconomic needs test which is non-discriminatory.
(b) Licenses are to be provided only to
companies registered in Egypt.
(c) Telecom Egypt has exclusive rights
to provide cross-border transmission
into or out of  Egypt using any means
of technology for an exclusivityperiod that terminate no later than31/12/2005. Licensees providinginternational data communicationservices have to lease international
private lines from Telecom Egypt
throughout the period of exclusivity.
(d) Companies working in the
telecommunications sector must
show commitment to recruit and
develop local human resourcesThe government of Egypt
undertakes additional commitmentsas set out in the attached referencepaper hereto.Egypt is currently in the process ofpresenting a new
Telecommunications Act to the
People’s Assembly (EgyptianParliament).S/C/W/195
Page 3Modes of supply: 1)  Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial Presence 4) Presence  of  natural persons
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limit ations on National Treatment Additional Commitments
International and domestic services
using any means of technology:
2.C.a. Voice telephone services
2.C.d. Telex services2.C.e. Telegraph services2.C.f. Facsimile services2.C.g. Private leased lines
(International only)(1) Unbound
(2) None(3)(a) Telecom Egypt has an exclusivity for
the provision of the services that
terminates no later than 31 December
2005. After that date, licenses may begranted.
(b) Resale of services is allowed based
on agreements with Telecom Egypt
(c) Telecom Egypt is currently
privatizing part of its shares throughan initial public offering or sale to astrategic investor. Telecom Egypt
may continue the privatization up to
49% of its shares in subsequentstages.
(d) Public payphones:  None
(4) Unbound, except as indicated in the
horizontal section.(1) None
(2) None(3) None
(4) Unbound except as indicated in
the horizontal section.
International services using any meansof technology:
2.C.b. Data transmission services
   & c.
2.C.o. Internet Services(1) Unbound
(2) None
(3) None(4) Unbound except as indicated in the
horizontal section.(1) None
(2) None
(3) None(4) Unbound except as indicated in
the horizontal section.S/C/W/195
Page 4Modes of supply: 1)  Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial Presence 4) Presence  of  natural persons
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limit ations on National Treatment Additional Commitments
Domestic services using any means of
technology:
2.C.b. Data transmission services
   & c.2.C.g. Private leased lines2.C.o. Internet Services(1) Unbound
(2) None(3) None
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the
horizontal section.(1) None
(2) None(3) None
(4) Unbound except as indicated in
the horizontal section.
Other services:
2.C.o. Mobile services (Digital only) (1) Unbound
(2) None(3) Two GSM900 operators have
licenses to provide the services in
Egypt with exclusive right till
30/11/2002. After that date, furtherlicenses maybe granted.
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the
horizontal section.(1) None
(2) None(3) None
(4) Unbound except as indicated in
the horizontal section.
Other services using any means oftechnology:
2.C.o. Paging services
2.C.o. VSAT
2.C.h.- Value Added Services
       n.(1) Unbound
(2) None
(3) None(4) Unbound except as indicated in the
horizontal section.(1) None
(2) None
(3) None(4) Unbound except as indicated in
the horizontal section.
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