Mobile Internet usage increased by the end of Ramadan 2024 to 74 percent within 24 hours, compared to the same period last year, while the usage of landline Internet increased by 29 percent, reported the country’s telecommunications regulator.
The surge is attributed to the addition of 9 million new users of mobile internet services and 800,000 new users of landline internet, according to recent data released by Egypt's National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA).
The viewing of short videos uploaded through apps such as TikTok, Likee, and others increased by 41 percent during the holy month, compared to the same period last year, the NTRA’s data showed.
The number of creators producing these clips also rose to 28 million, while the total hours spent viewing this type of content reached 10 million hours per day.
Sending and receiving e-mails increased by 30 percent, with around 15 million messages sent per day throughout the 2024 Ramadan, the NTRA added, noting that the total number of email applications’ users reached 18 million.
The use of navigation services such as Google Maps, Waze, and Here We Go rose by 81 percent, compared to the 2023 Ramadan, with around 58 million searches for destinations daily.
The number of navigation services users reached 24 million, according to the NTRA.
Streaming apps and platforms — including Netflix, Shahid, and WatchIt — increased by 41 percent, attracting 41 million viewers last month. The users of these apps spent a combined 14 million hours per day watching their content.
Online shopping via apps and websites like Amazon and Jumia decreased by 3 percent compared to last year’s Ramadan, with the number of online shoppers reaching 19 million.
Furthermore, social media platforms were visited by 17 million people, recording a 20 percent decrease from the previous Ramadan.
The number of social media users in Egypt stood at 42 million, noted the NATRA.
The use of search engines and online gaming also increased by 18 percent. Online chatting increased by 10 percent, and live video streaming by 46 percent.
Users of virtual online meeting apps and websites – such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Hangout – reached 6 million during this year’s Ramadan, recording a decrease of 76 percent compared to a year prior as per the NATRA’s data.
The number of mobile subscriptions in Egypt increased by 6.1 million in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching 106.2 million.
The use of the internet locally has been on the rise over the past two years amid a surge in remote learning and working, online shopping, and other online activities due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Between 2019 and 2022, the country saw a staggering 77.9 percent increase in mobile internet subscriptions, surging from 39 million to 69.4 million.
The Egyptian population stands at over 106 million.
