Egypt will launch a live test of 5G technology during the 21st edition of Cairo ICT exhibition, held between 3 and 6 December, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The four telecom companies operating in Egypt had launched 4G services by the end of September, as the market saw the entry of Telecom Egypt as the first integrated operator. This year's round of the exhibition will be held under the theme "Expect the Unexpected" at the Egypt Expo Center. Vodafone, Orange, and Telecom Egypt are participating in the exhibition, along with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA). Many international, regional, and local IT companies and banks will be present at the exhibition and conference. This round of Cairo ICT is being held on an area of 22,000 sqm spread across two halls, up 25% from previous rounds. This year, the exhibition will witness the launch of a number of electronic products, including the first mobile manufactured in Egypt by Sico Technology. Moreover, it will see the launch of Egypt's first electronic travel visas. Another exhibition, the 3rd Defence, Security, and Public Safety Technologies Fair and Forum (DSS) will be held on the sidelines of the conference. Additionally, the second round of Innovation Arena will be held during the Cairo ICT 2017, in which 50 groups of youth and entrepreneurs will compete in the fields of health, education, social networking, smart cities, digital payments, and electronic applications serving people with special needs. Across the different sectors, themes and trends at Cairo ICT, speakers will present a glimpse into the region through workshops, conversations, and panels highlighting case studies and implementations of the most disruptive, innovative, and transformative technologies shaping our future. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Yasser El Kady, Minister of Housing Mostafa Madbouly, and Chairperson of Suez Canal Authority & Suez Canal Economic Zone Mohab Mamish will participate in the exhibition, as well as Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, chairperson of the Federation of Egyptian Banks, and David Meads, vice president for the Middle East and Africa at Cisco. Several international and Egyptian companies are partaking in the exhibition, including Microsoft, Cisco, e-finance, Dell EMC, Orange, Vodafone, and Telecom Egypt.
