Editing Openai/67d06dcb-ee9c-8006-b328-29ff839c37c1 (section)

=== Assistant: Got it! ===
Got it! If Egypt wants to double its internet bandwidth capacity, the project would involve:

===== - Total bandwidth capacity: Egypt had around 10+ Tbps (terabits per second) capacity in 2023, mainly from the 13 undersea cables passing through the country. =====
* Actual usage: Telecom Egypt sells a portion of this to ISPs. The real consumption in Egypt is likely much lower (1-2 Tbps actively used).

So, to double Egypt’s active bandwidth, we’d need another 10+ Tbps of capacity through:
# Leasing more capacity from existing undersea cables.
# Building a new undersea cable or landing station.

===== #### =====
* Cost per 100 Gbps leased: ~$500,000 - $1 million per year
* To add 10 Tbps (10,000 Gbps): - Annual cost = $50M - $100M per year - 5-year cost = $250M - $500M - This depends on deals with SEACOM, Equiano (Google), EIG, or AAE-1 cable operators.
* Pros: Quick setup (months).
* Cons: Egypt still depends on foreign providers & TE’s monopoly.

====== - Undersea cable cost (10,000+ km, high capacity): $300M - $500M ======
* Landing station & local infrastructure: $50M - $100M
* Total cost: $350M - $600M
* Timeline: 2-5 years (regulatory approvals, seabed surveys, construction).
* Pros: Egypt owns the infrastructure, long-term savings, potential revenue from selling bandwidth.
* Cons: High initial investment, long build time.

===== - Egypt could sell excess bandwidth to Africa & the Middle East, making money like how it profits from the Suez Canal. =====
* Increased bandwidth could improve internet speeds, attract tech companies, and reduce ISP throttling issues.
* If Egypt invests in data centers, it could become an African tech hub like the UAE.

===== - Leasing more bandwidth costs $50M - $100M per year and is the fastest option (months). =====
* Building a new undersea cable costs $350M - $600M but gives long-term control (2-5 years).
* The best strategy is a mix of both: Lease bandwidth short-term while constructing a new cable for independence.

Would you want to focus on just doubling bandwidth for Egypt, or also positioning Egypt as a major internet hub for Africa & the Middle East?