{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Egyptians struggling to afford phone top ups' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d676d8eafeecae203da4' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d676d8eafeecae203da4' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nEgyptians struggling to afford phone top ups\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN:              After Egypt's four main telecom companies raised consumer call and data rates by more than a third, many Egyptians are struggling to pay for a modern-day necessity – their mobile phones.               STORYLINE:     ...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN:\u003cbr/\u003e              After Egypt's four main telecom companies raised consumer call and data rates by more than a third, many Egyptians are struggling to pay for a modern-day necessity – their mobile phones. \u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE:\u003cbr/\u003e              Mobile phones have become invaluable to almost everyone.\u003cbr/\u003e              Egypt is flooded with mobile phone lines – a 2016 report by the country's head statistics body CAPMAS stated that there were over 96 million open mobile lines in the country, for a population of 91 million. \u003cbr/\u003e              Mobile phones are far more common than internet connections in many of the country's poorer areas. And - like elsewhere in the world - people are increasingly dependent on mobile technology.  \u003cbr/\u003e              A large portion of Egyptians use pay-as-you go scratch cards for their calls and data – available at nearly every kiosk and grocery store. \u003cbr/\u003e              However, shop owners are struggling to draw in as many people after the price of a top-up cards went up at the end of October.\u003cbr/\u003e              The four mobile companies operating in Egypt - We, Vodafone, Etisalat and Orange - raised prepaid shipping costs by around 36 percent, following the approval of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA).\u003cbr/\u003e              Now, customers buying a 100 Egyptian pounds (5.70 US dollrs) prepaid card get only 70 pounds credit (4 US dollars), as opposed to the previous value of 104 pounds.\u003cbr/\u003e              Often the shopkeepers are the first to inform the customers of the price changes, which leads to confusion and sometimes arguments.  \u003cbr/\u003e              \"People who used to top up their mobile phones every day, now top up their mobiles once every two weeks. The people who used to top up with 100,\" says mobile phone shop owner Ayman Hamed.\u003cbr/\u003e              The price rise comes amid skyrocketing price increases across the board, following the adjustment in the country's exchange rate that took place a year ago – when the pound's value to the dollar jumped from roughly 8 to 18 Egyptian pounds. \u003cbr/\u003e              As there has been no recent increase in averages income, many people have struggled to deal with the new prices. \u003cbr/\u003e              But because they are dependent on their mobile phones they are forced to find the money from somewhere.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"At first, people didn't want to buy credit, they refused. But with time, everybody has something they need to do, work, so they started to return and buy credit, but it's not like it was before,\" explains Hamed.\u003cbr/\u003e              The price increases, which came without warning, have left shopkeepers at a loss on how to deal with them. \u003cbr/\u003e              They are now forced to sell the old cards for less than they paid for them.  \u003cbr/\u003e              And for students like Islam Mahmoud, keeping on top of price rises is particularly difficult.\u003cbr/\u003e              Using the internet is very important for him and he had been topping up 2-3 times a week.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Everything is very confusing. I've tried to stop buying credit, and I've only bought credit once since the rates changed,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003e              And for those with more than one person in their household, the price can be prohibitively expensive. \u003cbr/\u003e              Ibrahim Mohamed is a Egyptian driver who earn 2,300 pounds (130 US dollars) a month and pays for two SIM cards.\u003cbr/\u003e              He wants to keep using his phone because he needs to contact his daughter and work colleagues but current prices means he spends 600-700 Egyptian pounds a month - 30 percent of his income.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"No one can say that we have to stop using our mobile phones, you call your daughter when she's coming and going to school, and your son, and your brothers and sisters. There are situations in which we need to call them. And of course, the telephone's very important for work, for you to be able to contact the people you work with.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Economists say that the price rise is a national adjustment by the telecoms industry to the country's changing economic situation.\u003cbr/\u003e              Professor Ahmed Abou Taleb acknowledges that income hasn't increased in Egypt, but he says the companies are vulnerable to international prices.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"The technology that the mobile phone companies use and the towers they erect, big parts of it are imported from other countries, so they are dealing with the international rates, and have nothing to do with our local prices.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              He suggests that people should use free services such as Viber or Skype, although those still need an internet or data connection to operate.\u003cbr/\u003e              Amr Adly, an economics professor at the American University of Cairo, says that the industry doesn't necessarily play by free-market rules. \u003cbr/\u003e              Just a few large corporations dominate the market with the government's blessing, and he claims they don't fiercely compete on prices - instead setting them at the same level.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"There are questions we have yet to answer about the presence of mechanisms to guarantee and protect competition. In a sector such as this, where there are just a few service providers, and they're all very large, and they can coordinate, and in fact, there really is coordination.\"\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              Cairo - 19 October 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              1. Various of mobile phone shop\u003cbr/\u003e              2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ayman Hamed, mobile kiosk owner:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"The purchase of mobile prepaid cards was affected a lot by the higher prices, for example the people who used to top up their mobile phones every day, now top up their mobiles once every two weeks. The people who used to top up with 100 EGP now top up with 50 EGP, there is a difference in how much it's costing them. And the price increase was a surprise to us. Maybe they didn't have a mechanism on how to make the old cards void, and after that, issue the new cards. But the announcement came and the old cards were still on the market.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              3. Various of shop\u003cbr/\u003e              4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ayman Hamed, mobile kiosk owner:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"This situation was a surprise for the customers. At first, people didn't want to buy credit, they refused. But with time, everybody has something they need to do, work, so they started to return and buy credit, but it's not like it was before.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e              5. Various of Hamed serving customer Islam Mahmoud, student\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Various of customer topping up phone\u003cbr/\u003e              7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Islam Mahmoud, student: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"Before, you used to buy phone credit twice, three times a week. These days, many Egyptians use the phone for calls and the internet, for me the internet is very important and I use it frequently. But then surprisingly the credit which cost 10 EGP (0.5 US dollars) gives me 7 EGP and I have to pay 11 EGP for it. Everything is very confusing. I've tried to stop buying credit, and I've only bought credit once since the rates changed.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              8. Wide of shop\u003cbr/\u003e              9. Various of Hamed serving customer Ibrahim Mohamed, driver\u003cbr/\u003e              10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ibrahim Mohamed, driver:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"It's too much, for example, if someone has four children in addition to himself and his wife, he needs to pay 600 or 700 EGP a month, or what? Then how much is he going to have left for food and drink? No one can say that we have to stop using our mobile phones, you call your daughter when she's coming and going to school, and your son, and your brothers and sisters. There are situations in which we need to call them. And of course, the telephone's very important for work, for you to be able to contact the people you work with.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              11. Hamed outside his shop\u003cbr/\u003e              12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Professor Ahmed Abou Taleb, Faculty of Communication Engineering, Cairo University:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Advertising is the main source of income for mobile companies all over the world. Ads are the main source of income for internet and mobile phone companies – and not the subscriptions. That's why they give discounts to customers every now and again. Of course, you're going say there is a big difference between people's income here and there, and prices here and there, but the technology that the mobile phone companies use and the towers they erect, big parts of it are imported from other countries, so they are dealing with the international rates, and have nothing to do with our local prices.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              13. Pan of mobile shop \u003cbr/\u003e              14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Professor Ahmed Abou Taleb, Faculty of Communication Engineering, Cairo University:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Actually, I don't know why there are complaints, maybe the people don't know about the free apps. Of course, the quality of the companies like Viber or Wechat or Skype is not like the quality of the mobile phones companies, but if you are struggling with the high prices, you have an alternative solution and it's available for all.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Cairo - 25 October 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              15. Various of Professor Amr Adly, economic expert at The American University in Cairo, in his office \u003cbr/\u003e              16. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Professor Amr Adly, economic expert at The American University in Cairo:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Of course, competition is supposed to lead to lower prices, and that's what actually happened during the past 20 years of the mobile phone service in Egypt. If we look at the issue by itself, we see that prices fell in a very significant way. And part of that, and it's not just technology becoming more affordable, it's also due to the competition that increased between the companies. And now, the important question, is the \"black box\" of how these companies are cooperating. Of course, there was a lead-up when they were deciding how to set prices. Back when there were two companies, and they were supposed to be competing, they were in fact dividing the market between them. And then, some competition happened with the entrance of the third company to the market, and that's the period where we saw the greatest price decreases. The third company was trying to eat away at the market share of the two other companies, and this was actually a success. But despite that, there are questions we have yet to answer about the presence of mechanisms to guarantee and protect competition. In a sector such as this, where there are just a few service providers, and they're all very large, and they can coordinate, and in fact, there really is coordination.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Cairo - 19 October 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              17. Various of mobile phone shops\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=1120356\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2017\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003ecommunication technology, business, economy, telecommunications, north africa, asia, prices, egypt, education, time, africa\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003eshare, home, elliot, social affairs, cell, mobile telecommunications services, science, cairo, telecommunications services, order, mobile communication technology, internet, adam, middle east, added, show, math and science education, school curricula, configure, shot\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Egyptians struggling to afford phone top ups\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"Egyptians struggling to afford phone top ups\" title=\"Egyptians struggling to afford phone top ups\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}