The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has ordered all telecom operators in Egypt to compensate users affected by the recent fire at the Ramses Central Exchange in Cairo by granting free internet data. Mobile customers are each entitled to 1 GB of free data,while fixed-line users will receive 10 GB. Where fixed internet remains unstable,subscribers may instead opt for 5 GB on their mobile lines.
The fire,which broke out on 7 July on the seventh floor of the central telecommunications hub,caused extensive service disruptions across mobile networks,landline connectivity,banking systems,and online government platforms. Tragically,four workers lost their lives and at least 27 others were injured. Investigations attribute the blaze to an electrical short circuit. In response,telecom services were gradually restored,and the NTRA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring service continuity and implementing measures to prevent future incidents.
As the country continues its recovery efforts,the regulator has reaffirmed its oversight role in safeguarding service quality and network resilience. Compensation through free data aims to alleviate the inconvenience caused by the outage,while also highlighting the critical importance of telecom infrastructure safety. The incident has sparked broader discussions on the need for decentralization and stronger risk management across Egypt’s centralized digital network systems.
United News - unews.co.za