Egypt’s Mobile Networks Show Mixed Q2 Performance as Vodafone Leads Voice Quality and e& Posts Broad Gains
Egypt’s mobile market delivered a mixed performance in the second quarter of 2026, with no single operator dominating every measure of network quality, according to the latest nationwide assessment by the National Telecom Regulatory Authority.
The results show a market increasingly defined by trade-offs between call quality, mobile data reliability and download speed. Vodafone recorded the strongest overall performance in voice services, WE retained the fastest average download speed and eliminated data-quality problem areas, e& Egypt improved across most major indicators, while Orange narrowed the number of areas affected by voice-quality issues but saw its average download speed decline.
The NTRA’s National Center for Monitoring Telecommunications Services Quality carried out field tests between April and June across 119 cities and districts, using dedicated measurement vehicles and equipment over roughly 129,000 kilometres of main and secondary roads in urban and rural areas. The assessment covered both voice calls and mobile data performance.
Vodafone makes the biggest gain in voice quality
Vodafone emerged as the strongest performer in voice services during the quarter, cutting the average number of areas with quality breaches to just three, down from seven in the first quarter.
That was the lowest figure among Egypt’s four mobile operators and represented the largest quarterly improvement in voice performance. e& Egypt followed with five affected areas, Orange recorded eight, while WE’s figure increased to 15.
Vodafone also improved its mobile internet speed, with average download performance rising to 66 Mbps from 62 Mbps in the previous quarter.
Its data-quality footprint, however, remained the main weakness in the quarter. The average number of areas affected by data-service quality issues eased only slightly to 15 from 16, leaving Vodafone with the highest number of affected areas among the four operators.
WE keeps the speed crown but slips on calls
WE remained Egypt’s fastest mobile network by average download speed in the second quarter, posting 76 Mbps.
The figure, however, was lower than the 83 Mbps recorded in the first quarter, showing that the operator retained its lead despite a noticeable slowdown.
Its strongest result came in data-service quality. The regulator recorded no areas affected by data-quality breaches on average during the second quarter, compared with two in the first three months of the year.
The picture was markedly different for voice services. The average number of areas affected by call-quality issues rose to 15 from 10, making WE the only operator to post a deterioration in this indicator during the quarter.
That left the operator with one of the clearest contrasts in the report: the best performance in mobile data availability and the highest download speed, but the weakest result in the number of areas affected by voice-service problems.
e& Egypt improves across the board
e& Egypt delivered one of the most balanced performances in the second quarter, improving in voice quality, data reliability and download speed at the same time.
The number of areas affected by voice-quality problems fell to five from eight, placing the company second behind Vodafone on this measure.
Its data-quality performance also strengthened, with the number of affected areas falling to one from two, the second-best result in the market after WE.
Average download speed edged up to 62 Mbps from 61 Mbps in the first quarter, placing e& third behind WE and Vodafone but ahead of Orange.
The modest increase in speed was less dramatic than Vodafone’s improvement, but the combination of fewer affected areas in both voice and data gave e& one of the most consistent quarter-on-quarter gains among the four operators.
Orange improves calls but loses ground on speed
Orange also made progress in voice services, cutting the average number of areas affected by call-quality issues to eight from 10 in the first quarter.
The improvement narrowed the operator’s voice-quality problem footprint and put it ahead of WE, although it remained behind Vodafone and e& on the same measure.
Data reliability remained broadly stable. Orange recorded four affected areas in both the first and second quarters, indicating that the geographic spread of data-service problems did not widen during the period.
Its main negative indicator was speed. Average download performance fell to 49 Mbps from 53 Mbps, the lowest average among Egypt’s four mobile operators in the second quarter.
That left Orange with a mixed quarter: better voice performance and stable data-quality coverage, but weaker download speeds.
June figures show how quickly network performance can shift
The regulator’s June snapshot underlined how monthly performance can differ from quarterly averages.
In voice services, four areas were affected on Vodafone, seven on Orange, six on e& and four on WE during June. In data services, Vodafone recorded 13 affected areas, Orange four, while e& and WE each recorded one.
The monthly figures also reinforce one of the central themes of the report: nationwide rankings do not always tell the full story, because network quality can vary significantly from one district or city to another.
New spectrum and 799 sites added to support network quality
Alongside the performance results, the NTRA detailed a series of measures aimed at improving mobile-service quality and expanding network capacity.
The regulator allocated the first tranche of new spectrum under Egypt’s 2026–2030 Spectrum Strategy, launched under the slogan “Spectrum Without Limits. For a Digital Future.”
Vodafone received its allocation during the first quarter of 2026, while Orange Egypt and e& Egypt were included in allocations during the third quarter, with the additional frequencies intended to support higher network capacity and better service quality.
The NTRA also approved 799 new mobile coverage sites during the second quarter, a move designed to strengthen coverage density and improve service performance as traffic volumes continue to rise.
Summer traffic puts coastal networks under pressure
Network testing was also extended to Egypt’s coastal roads, key transport corridors, tourism villages along the North Coast, New Alamein and major event areas.
The regulator said the testing was designed to ensure adequate coverage, improve road safety and prepare mobile networks for the seasonal surge in traffic during the summer months.
The move is particularly relevant as mobile usage in seasonal destinations can rise sharply over short periods, putting pressure on both radio capacity and backhaul infrastructure.
Switching operators while keeping the same number
The report also reiterated Egypt’s mobile number portability rules, which allow customers to switch operators without changing their phone number.
To qualify, the subscriber must be the registered owner of the line, present a valid national ID for Egyptians or a valid passport for foreign nationals, have owned the line with the current operator for at least four months and settle any outstanding obligations linked to a mobile wallet on the number.
Customers submit a transfer request at a sales outlet of the operator they want to join, receive a new but initially inactive SIM card and obtain a stamped copy of the transfer request.
Once the new operator activates the SIM, the customer receives an SMS confirming the replacement of the old card. Under the regulatory framework, the full transfer process is completed within 24 hours of submitting the request.
A market with no single winner
The second-quarter results highlight how difficult it has become to rank Egypt’s mobile networks using one headline metric.
Vodafone led in voice quality and improved its download speed, but continued to record the widest footprint of data-quality issues. WE remained the fastest network and posted the best data-quality result, but its voice performance deteriorated sharply. e& Egypt recorded broad-based improvement across the main indicators, while Orange strengthened call quality and maintained data stability despite slower download speeds.
For consumers, the report ultimately suggests that the best network depends less on a nationwide league table and more on the combination of speed, call reliability and local coverage in the areas where each customer actually uses their phone.