TELE COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT III

ARETO WILL RECEIVE ASSISTANCE TO: (1)REPLACE A NUMBER OF OLD AND OBSOLETE ROTARY EXCHANGES WITH ELECTRONIC SWITCHING SYSTEMS (ESS) AS WELL AS RELATED OUTSIDE PLANT, IN A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS IN CAIRO; (2)PROVIDE THE NECESSARY US TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ALSO TO DESIGN, PROCURE, AND INSTALL ESS; AND (3)PROCURE OTHER TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT (AIR CONDITIONERS AND GENERATORS). THREE ROTARY EXCHANGES IN CAIRO WILL BE REPLACED WITH ESS: HELIOPOLIS I AND II, MAADI, AND BAB EL LOUK. A FOURTH, ZAMALEK, WILL BE REPLACED BY ESS AS PART OF AID TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOAN #263-K-047 (FY"78). THREE ROTARY EXCHANGES IN ALEXANDRIA WILL ALSO BE REPLACED BY ESS. AIR CONDITIONING WILL BE PROVIDED AT ESS SITES IN ALEXANDRIA AND CAIRO, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONDITIONS. STANDBY GENERATORS WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED AT SITES IN BOTH CITIES, TO IMPROVE THE CAPABILITIES OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC POWER GRID TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITES. SUPPLEMENTAL POWER IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT FOR SENSITIVE ESS EQUIPMENT. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BEGUN UNDER THE FY "78 AID LOAN WILL BE CONTINUED AND EXPANDED DURING CURRENT FUNDING. ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED IN AREAS OF INSTITUTION BUILDING, PROCUREMENT, AND OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES. Project amendment No. 1 of 5/9/82 provides funding for: 7 additional ESS"s and 40-50,000 expansion lines within the project exchange areas; additional TA to improve the Arab Republic of Egypt National Telecommunication Organization"s (ARENTO"s) capabilities for surveying segments of its transmission system, and for planning and designing studies related to telephone exchange and network expansion; and some 95 person-months of U.S. training for all levels of ARENTO personnel. (PD-AAL-566)