Exclusive: $2,500 License Fee for Establishing and Operating a Call Center in Egypt
The “Ta3heed” Newsletters learned from informed sources that the license fee obtained by outsourcing service companies to establish and operate their call centers in Egypt amounts to approximately $2,500.
Sources stated that the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority requires the license fee to be paid in full in foreign currency in advance, provided that the applying company meets a set of conditions in coordination with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA).
They explained that among the key requirements are the availability of a UPS power supply and a generator to ensure uninterrupted service for customers in the event of power outages, as well as emergency exits, an evacuation plan for the call center buildings in case of disasters, and designated areas for employee breaks.
It was also added that the company applying for the license must allocate separate prayer rooms for men and women, with the fulfillment of these conditions being reviewed by a panel of specialists.
The establishment of a regulatory framework for Egypt’s outsourcing services market ensures that no unauthorized entities (operating “under the table”) emerge, thereby protecting the reputation of this industry, which is one of Egypt’s significant sources of hard currency.
It is worth noting that last November, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority granted licenses for establishing and operating call centers to seven companies in the sector: Vodafone International Services, Raya for Call Center Services, Oxid, Concentrix, Capgemini Egypt, TTI C Egypt, and Genpact Egypt.
According to the terms of the license, a call center outsourcing service provider is entitled to establish and operate call centers and to offer call center outsourcing services to third parties within the Arab Republic of Egypt by providing dedicated seats and trained agents. All of this is subject to the provider’s obligation to notify the authority of its call center locations and any updates thereto.
Furthermore, when establishing call centers, the outsourcing service provider must comply with all internationally recognized construction and technical standards and specifications, as well as any additional technical specifications determined by the authority.
The license also specifies that the call center outsourcing service provider is entitled to connect to the fixed-line telephone network through one of the fixed-line service providers in order to send and receive calls for its clients.
