{"id":604402,"date":"2018-12-03T04:10:21","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T04:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/12\/03\/what-were-tracking-on-3-december-2018\/"},"modified":"2018-12-03T04:10:21","modified_gmt":"2018-12-03T04:10:21","slug":"what-were-tracking-on-3-december-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/12\/03\/what-were-tracking-on-3-december-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"What we\u2019re tracking on 3 December 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who do you have to know to get fast internet around these parts? <\/b>Serious question. We went, with our checkbook wide open, to one of the three big mobile network operators \u2014 one that claims to be corporate friendly and that says it offers bundles including WiMax and microwave solutions. One with whom we have been a customer in good standing for more than a decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Big Telecom, get our soon-to-be new office online. Give us microwave internet, so that we may surf speedily and without worry. So that those who work for our parent company may back-up their large files to their hearts\u2019 content.\u201d<\/p>\n

Days later: \u201cNo,\u201d sayeth the telecom, mumbling something incoherent about bandwidth allocations at the Telecom Egypt-run central.<\/p>\n

\u201cTayyeb, what about WiMax?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d sayeth Big Telecom. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea. We\u2019ll get back to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Days later: \u201cActually, no.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause.\u201d<\/p>\n

Full-stop.<\/p>\n

There are few experiences less satisfying than dealing with a corporation that no longer cares about being good, let alone great.<\/p>\n

Careem is launching today a pilot run of its new, USD 100 mn fixed-route bus service<\/b>, a company executive said, according to Masrawy<\/a>. The service, a competitor to hot startup Swvl, will kick off in Cairo today and roll out to Alexandria and other parts of the country in the near future, the exec claims. The ride-hailing company had announced its plans to pilot the service in August<\/a>, saying it will start with at least four Egyptian cities before tapping the broader MENA market.<\/p>\n

This comes as Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will be in Cairo tomorrow<\/b> for \u201can important announcement\u201d (pdf).<\/p>\n

EDEX 2018<\/b><\/a> opens today in Cairo. The nation\u2019s first defense expo <\/b>runs through Wednesday at the Egypt International Exhibition Center and will feature international pavilions<\/a> from 20 countries. Among those attending: The Brits, who have sent trade envoy (and frequent visitor to Cairo) Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Lt. Gen. Sir John Lorimer, the UK government\u2019s senior defense advisor for the Middle East, to visit, according to a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A delegation of 11 major French companies is in town today<\/b>, says<\/a> Ludovic Pr\u00e9vost, director of the Business France office in Cairo. Execs from companies including Veolia<\/a> and Systra<\/a> are along for the visit.<\/p>\n

Events you can attend today:<\/b><\/p>\n