Signing of MOU with Suez Canal Authority for ICT Smart Infrastructure
Promoting the supply of wired and wireless infrastructure, smart energy, etc.
Up to 1 Gbps internet speed with just a phone line
KT has begun spreading cutting-edge ICT in Egypt, the gateway to Africa and a major maritime trade route connecting the East and the West.

Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, reducing the sea route between Western Europe and South Asia by over 9,000 kilometers. Annual tolls through the Suez Canal amount to $5 billion.

KT has begun work on building smart infrastructure in the Suez Canal and has unveiled its 'GiGA Wire' in Cairo, which provides internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps using only telephone lines.


The Suez Canal Economic Zone, the largest free economic zone in the Middle East
KT announced on October 29th (local time) that it signed an MOU for the construction of ICT-based smart infrastructure in the Suez Canal at the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) headquarters in Ismailia, Egypt. This MOU was signed as a three-party MOU between KT, SCA, and KT's Egyptian business partner, GGTT (Giga Global Telecom & Technology).
The signing ceremony was attended by the heads of the three companies, including KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, SCA Chairman Mohab Mameesh, and GGTT Chairman Mohamed Roushdy, along with key executives.

KT assessed that the MOU laid the foundation for advancing wired and wireless communication infrastructure in Egypt's Suez Canal, promoting smart energy projects, and providing security and control solutions. These projects will leverage KT's communications, energy, and safety technologies and solutions, including Giga Wire, KT-MEG, GiGA Eyes, and GiGA IoT, as well as its big data analysis capabilities and data center operation expertise.

At the MOU signing ceremony, Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu met with Suez Canal Authority Director Mamisi and introduced Giga Wire, KT-MEG, and Giga Eyes exported to Egypt. Additionally, KT and SCA discussed ways to expand their cooperation in relation to the Suez Canal development project.

Originally, the Suez Canal operated as a single-track system, traveling 11 hours a day from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and then from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. However, following the construction of a double-track canal in 2015, both the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Red Sea to the Mediterranean are now operated simultaneously. Following the construction of the double-track canal, the Suez Canal Economic Zone, currently under development, aims to become the largest free economic zone in the Middle East by 2040.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is making various efforts to achieve this. It is pursuing infrastructure improvement projects, along with plans to develop the area surrounding the canal into a free economic zone featuring industrial complexes, ports, shipyards, technoparks, and educational facilities. Starting with this MOU, KT plans to actively participate in the development of smart infrastructure and smart cities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.


Preserving Egyptian traditions while pursuing ICT innovation.
On the afternoon of the 29th, the "Egypt Gigawire Opening Ceremony" was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo, Egypt. The event was attended by KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, Korean Ambassador to Egypt Yoon Yeo-cheol, Ubiquoss President Lee Sang-geun, Mohamed Rushdie, Chairman and CEO of Egyptian ICT company GGTT, Osama Yassin, and local Egyptian media.

The opening ceremony featured a demonstration of the GigaWire solution's internet speeds. The highest internet download speed demonstrated using the GigaWire solution was 992 Mbps.

Egypt, famous for its world cultural heritage sites such as the Pyramids and the Sphinx, has a long history and many old buildings, making it difficult to improve its communications network. Giga Wire, developed by KT, is a technology that provides internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps using only copper telephone lines, without the need for separate optical cables. Therefore, it is the optimal solution for improving network speeds without damaging Egypt's ancient architecture.
KT has already signed a 10 billion won "Giga Wire Solution Supply Agreement" with GGTT, marking the largest Giga Wire export ever. Based on this agreement, KT plans to expand its Giga Wire solution supply to Egyptian telecommunications operators.

KT explained that this project was significant in that it represented a shared growth between a large corporation (KT) and a small- and medium-sized enterprise (Ubiquoss). KT and its partner, Ubiquoss, jointly developed the Giga Wire solution and then collaborated on its exports. Ubiquoss was responsible for equipment production, technical support, and after-sales service for the Giga Wire export to Egypt.

KT's "Giga Wire" has been exported to Boston, USA, Botswana (Africa), and Malaysia, prior to Egypt. With the launch of Giga Wire in Egypt, KT plans to expand its Giga Wire service to other countries, including Jordan, Sudan, and Tanzania.

Meanwhile, KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu met with local ICT leaders during his visit to Egypt and worked to create new business opportunities. On the 29th, Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu met with Ahmed El Beheiry, CEO of TE, Egypt's largest telecommunications company. He explained the current status of the Gigawire project and proposed cooperation in other network areas, including 5G, smart cities, and submarine cables. He also met with Mohamed Rossidi, Chairman of GGTT, to discuss ways to expand Gigawire services in Egypt.

KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu said, “Based on KT’s excellent innovative technology and know-how, we expect that as smart infrastructure is built in the Suez Canal and Egypt’s ICT competitiveness is enhanced, KT’s global status will also rise further,” and “KT will work harder to achieve remarkable results in overseas markets in line with the advent of the 5G era and the acceleration of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”