Seriously, Egypt, Try a Little Harder
1 Comments Published by Tom Gara on Thursday, October 30 at Thursday, October 30, 2008.
Preparing for a week of reporting from the Mother of the Earth next week, I have been making some calls and trying to set up interviews and meetings with people in Cairo. Or at least trying to.
The large Egyptian organisations whose main switchboard phone numbers are either disconnected, not working or ringing out without being answered include:
- The Egyptian Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology
- The Egyptian Ministry of Investment
- Orascom Telecom (the largest private sector company in Egypt)
- Vodafone Egypt
- Xceed (ironically, Egypt's largest call centre operator)
- Telecom Egypt
I know the country has problems and sometimes the odds are stacked up against you there, but seriously, this is not complicated stuff. Get main switchboard number. Post on website. Have human being who picks up phone and says "alloo?" when it rings between 9 in the morning and 6 at night.
I swear, if the pyramids could be made "out of order" somehow, Egyptians would work out how to do it. Luckily, it is extremely difficult to break a ten million tonne pile of rocks. Breaking the cornerstone of basic communications is far easier, unfortunately.
The large Egyptian organisations whose main switchboard phone numbers are either disconnected, not working or ringing out without being answered include:
- The Egyptian Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology
- The Egyptian Ministry of Investment
- Orascom Telecom (the largest private sector company in Egypt)
- Vodafone Egypt
- Xceed (ironically, Egypt's largest call centre operator)
- Telecom Egypt
I know the country has problems and sometimes the odds are stacked up against you there, but seriously, this is not complicated stuff. Get main switchboard number. Post on website. Have human being who picks up phone and says "alloo?" when it rings between 9 in the morning and 6 at night.
I swear, if the pyramids could be made "out of order" somehow, Egyptians would work out how to do it. Luckily, it is extremely difficult to break a ten million tonne pile of rocks. Breaking the cornerstone of basic communications is far easier, unfortunately.
Seek John Saad's help for getting all the telecom related phone numbers...he will probably have them...
If these ones frustrate you...try the less communication oriented ones...try ministry of education...painful memories...