Official Ceremony to celebrate the Agreement for Co-operation in the Mediterranean Region between Telecom Egypt - Cyta.
Cairo, 20 July 2009:
    
During an official ceremony in Cairo, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Tarek Kamel, witnessed in the presence of the Republic of Cyprus Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. Costas Leontiou, the official execution of the agreement for co-operation in the Mediterranean Region between Telecom Egypt and Cyta, signed on 3rd June.

Under the deal, Cyta acquires its own fiber-pair subsystem on TE North (TEN) submarine cable system, capable of transporting a terabit of telecommunications capacity from Cyprus to Egypt and from Cyprus to France, via separate fiber pairs and allowing future access to Greece. Telecom Egypt's TEN system will thus have access to Cyprus, creating mutual business opportunities in Europe, Asia and Africa. Telecom Egypt will obtain both the opportunity to transport Cyta traffic to key international destinations, as well as to cost-effectively reach regional markets accessible via Cyprus. Telecom Egypt's Chairman and CEO Eng. Akil Beshir and Cyta's CEO Mr. Photis Savvides signed the agreement.

The TEN submarine cable system enables Telecom Egypt to expand its international connections through establishing a high-quality, high-capacity, direct connection from Marseilles in France to Sidi Kirir in Egypt. The cable will then be extended terrestrially in Egypt through two different routes to Ras Sidr in the Sinai Peninsula, allowing full interconnection with other submarine cable systems landing in Egypt.

Minister Kamel stated that the construction of the TEN system and its extensions comes as part of Egypt's policy to liberate telecommunications services. He noted that the purpose of this policy, undertaken by Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), is to expand the scope of partnership between the private sector in Egypt and enterprises in neighbouring countries, and offer advanced international telecommunications services. Dr. Kamel confirmed the MCIT keenness in boosting Egypt's regional and international status as a telecommunications hub for traffic to Asia, Africa and Europe, and added that the new cable system will work on meeting the increasing demands of Telecom Egypt's customers in Egypt and their great interest in broadband internet access.

Telecom Egypt’s TEN system, which is currently under construction by Alcatel-Lucent, is scheduled to go into service by the end of the year, linking Egypt to France with over ten terabits of telecommunications bandwidth. The system is being  constructed with underwater branching units, which enable TEN to be extended to other Mediterranean countries in the future. Such extensions will collectively form the MedGateway subsystem - a bridge between Mediterranean countries, Europe and Asia. The extensions will also provide Telecom Egypt with access to new markets, as well as the opportunity to offer the MedGateway partners with connectivity to key markets in Europe, Asia and Africa through Telecom Egypt’s extended network, beyond Egypt and France.

Cyta currently acts as an important hub for regional telecommunications in the Eastern Mediterranean, with submarine cables linking Cyprus to the Levant region, Greece, Egypt, Italy, and other European destinations. Cyta’s new fiber-pair subsystem, named ALEXANDROS, will complement these existing facilities, enhancing the robustness of Cyta’s international access through physical diversity and significant increase in bandwidth.

On his part, Eng. Beshir said that the agreement enables Cyta to become an influential regional partner, joining the MedGateway project as part of the TEN system. Along with the current fiber-pair customers, who rely on TEN as a critical conduit between Asia, Africa and Europe, this agreement has assured that TEN is truly becoming a regional and global building block for international communications in the region, he added. Through each of these relationships, Telecom Egypt aims to go on expanding its reach to major international destinations, Eng. Beshir noted.

Cyta's Chairman Mr. Stavros Kremmos expressed his satisfaction and happiness that Cyta reached agreement with Telecom Egypt for this new and important project for Cyprus. He noted that the ALEXANDROS subsystem will enable Cyta to have access to new opportunities to better serve its customers both at home and in other regions. The partnership between Cyta and Telecom Egypt, Mr. Kremmos said, helps Cyta pave the way for its customers to reach the world. Cyta's CEO Mr. Photis Savvides added that this agreement for co-operation in the Mediterranean Region, will form the cornerstone for an enhanced relation between the two organisations for years to come, presenting the opportunity for additional successful joint projects. [view images]

Official Visit of Minister of Communications and Technology of Syria
Nicosia, 8-10 July 2009:   

The Minister of Communications and Technology of Syria Dr. Imad Sabouni, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) Dr. Nazem Bahsas and other STE officials, visited Cyprus, after invitation of the Minister of Finance and as guests of Cyta, in the framework of their strategic cooperation with Cyta, and following the signing and approval of the following bilateral agreements:

(a) Agreement between Cyta and STE for the Provision of Capacity to Europe
(b) Memorandum of Understanding between Cyta and STE for the Planning of Construction of a Syria - Cyprus Submarine Cable
(c) International Telephony Termination Rate Agreement between Cyta and STE.

The package of agreements strengthens the traditional relations between Cyta and STE on building on the strategic role of Cyta and Cyprus in general, as a major cable hub in the Eastern Mediterranean and an excellent centre of telecommunications services in the wider region as well as affirming the desire of Syria to enhance its position in the international telecommunications landscape.

Cyta and STE have confirmed, during a special Cyta Board meeting, their intention to construct a new submarine cable system between Cyprus - Syria and proceed with a feasibility study to be finalised within 3 months. The new cable system, that will be initially named "ALASIYA", will be in position to restore the existing cable system "UGARIT" between Cyprus - Syria and will provide an alternative high-quality route between Cyprus - Syria, serving the telecommunications needs of Syria to Europe and elsewhere, via Cyta’s international submarine cable network. The name "ALASIYA" used in ancient texts, including Ugaritic texts, refers to the island of Cyprus or to an ancient important Kingdom in Cyprus.

The Minister of Communications and Technology of Syria had also meetings with the Minister of Communications and Works, the Director General of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and the Minister of Finance for issues concerning telecommunications, technology and energy. In addition, cooperation areas such as establishing technology zones, incubators, and utilisation of solar energy for the power supply of telecommunication systems were particularly highlighted to be followed up in the short term. A draft protocol of cooperation between the Governments of Cyprus and Syria in the field of Telecommunications was also discussed and initially approved.

All above meetings and other social events were organised  and co-ordinated by Cytaglobal in association with the Ministry of Finance.  [view images]

Signing of Agreements between CYTA and the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE)
Damascus, 27 November 2008:

During an official ceremony, Cyta and the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) have signed a package of important bilateral agreements, within the framework of their strategic cooperation, which includes the following agreements:

(a) Agreement between Cyta and STE for the Provision of Capacity to Europe

(b) Memorandum of Understanding between Cyta and STE for the Planning and Construction of a Syria – Cyprus Submarine Cable

(c) International Telephony Termination Rate Agreement between Cyta and STE

The agreements were signed on behalf of Cyta by Mr. Stavros Kremmos, Chairman of the Board of  Cyta and on behalf of STE by Eng Nazem Bahsas, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of STE. Cyta’s delegation that participated in the ceremony and in the relevant negotiations consisted of the Chairman of the Board Mr. Stavros Kremmos, the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Photios Savvides and other relevant Cyta Managers.

The ceremony which was extensively covered and promoted by the local media, was attended by H.E. the Minister of Telecommunications and Technology of Syria Imad Sabouni and H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Syria Efstathios Orphanides.

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