# Utilities for apartment dwellers



## navery (Oct 15, 2011)

We will be moving to Cairo in January 2012 and will rent an apartment. What is the drill for getting telephone, electricity and internet accounts. Do most modern apartments have "cable"for tv and/or internet?

Is it easy to buy a cell phone. We're from Canada and it's difficult to unlock cell phones so we want to buy an inexpensive prepaid phone when we get there.

How does one go about finding a real estate agent to rent an apartment?


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

Hi, 

There are lots of agencies in Cairo that will be happy to assist you. Bear in mind that agencies here shouldn't take commisions from the prospective tenants. Most contracts are one or two years and many ask for one month deposit (that never gets returned) and rents to be paid quarterly. 

You shoud be renting a flat that has telephone/electricity and gas already conected. THen you will have people ringing your door once a month to collect payment for the bills. IT really is that easy. 
As for the internet, once you choose your provider (there is linkdotnet or tedata) you visit their office with your home number written down, your passport, money (how much depends of the speed you will need) and that's pretty much it. All this things are amazingly straight forward in Egypt. 

Mobile phone. You go to the shop (vodafone or mobilil, to be found in every busy street of cairo) with your passport and proceed to choose a phone. I think the cheapest phone will be around LE200. And then buy your prepaid scratch cards anywhere really, supermarkets, corner shops, phoneshops, kiosks, etc. Again all very straight forward. 

I used Osman group to find my flat twice in the past. Found them very proffesionals. Have you choosen a neighbourhood of Cairo where you want to live?

try this link Maadi Real Estate


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## GM1 (Sep 30, 2008)

Sonrisa said:


> As for the internet, once you choose your provider (there is linkdotnet or tedata) you visit their office with your home number written down, your passport, money (how much depends of the speed you will need) and that's pretty much it. All this things are amazingly straight forward in Egypt.


You need also: the last bill payment and (a copy of) the ID-card of the owner of the line (the name is written in Arabic on the bill).

Other providers are Vodafone and Etisalat. 

But take care: although all these providers write that they have "unlimited" services, it is really limited. I believe 1mb speed to 40GB traffic a month, 2mb to 60GB traffic (after that your speed will be dropped to less than 0.25mb!). If you like to download movies etc. than that is not enough at all! The solution is: the more expensive package from TEData, this is really unlimited.
They have all websites, so check them out.


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

I use Linkdsl and have 1meg speed unlimited which is really unlimited as I check the speed regularly .All I did was to telephone them and give my info and the sent a guy to me with a contract in English which I signed paid 3 months in advance (it's cheaper) gave him 10 l.e. fee for coming.After 7 days was connected. Buy the way get your modem at any of the computer malls don't buy from the ISP there too expensive.

:ranger:


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## Lanason (Sep 1, 2009)

hhaddad said:


> I use Linkdsl and have 1meg speed unlimited which is really unlimited as I check the speed regularly .All I did was to telephone them and give my info and the sent a guy to me with a contract in English which I signed paid 3 months in advance (it's cheaper) gave him 10 l.e. fee for coming.After 7 days was connected. Buy the way get your modem at any of the computer malls don't buy from the ISP there too expensive.
> 
> :ranger:


Radio Shack sell good Routers - buy a fast one - N at least. I bought a cheapo one when I first came then found the router was the slowest link in the chain.


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## canuck2010 (Jan 13, 2010)

If the apartment has a landline that is registered to the landlord, it will be much easier for the landlord to get the internet hooked up for you.


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

navery said:


> We will be moving to Cairo in January 2012 and will rent an apartment. What is the drill for getting telephone, electricity and internet accounts. Do most modern apartments have "cable"for tv and/or internet?
> 
> Is it easy to buy a cell phone. We're from Canada and it's difficult to unlock cell phones so we want to buy an inexpensive prepaid phone when we get there.
> 
> How does one go about finding a real estate agent to rent an apartment?


If you pm me I will send you a Egyptian rental contract if you want which explains most of the conditions in Arabic and English in Word format if you want.


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## navery (Oct 15, 2011)

*Egyptian rental contract*



hhaddad said:


> If you pm me I will send you a Egyptian rental contract if you want which explains most of the conditions in Arabic and English in Word format if you want.


I am so new to the forum I don't have PM privleges yet. Any other way we might connect on this topic?

Thanks very much


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## txlstewart (Jun 20, 2010)

navery said:


> I am so new to the forum I don't have PM privleges yet. Any other way we might connect on this topic?
> 
> Thanks very much


Just respond to my post--then you'll meet the requirements....


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## PaulAshton (Nov 18, 2011)

Once you get your telephone line the fastest and most cost effective method is to go to TE Data directly and get ADSL, an unlimited package (which is unlimited) is about 220 LE per month (not sure of the exact amount)

There are many ISP's who ride on the back bone of TE Data who work out more slower and more expensive

Internet USB dongles, even Etisalat "Unlimited" have a fair usage policy of about 8gb per month then your speed drops and the service is not that great and it's about 250LE per month and not good for live streaming like TV, you really need ADSL to have some sense of normality..

Be careful as well to secure your internet before the entire area steals your wifi single..

Landlords can also be problematic and say things like "share your internet with me" (if he lives on site) and / or you need his permission in writing, it's BS. Simply take your rental agreement to TE Data..

Oddly enough before you move in turn off all power and look at your electric meter to ensure nobody is stealing your electric..and do this quite often


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

navery said:


> I am so new to the forum I don't have PM privleges yet. Any other way we might connect on this topic?
> 
> Thanks very much


goto my signature and use contact page


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