Author – Mary Beth Lowell – Communications Manager

Egypt_mapjpgIf you were planning to use a GPS device (including GPS navigation on your cell phone) in Egypt anytime soon, you may have to go to plan B.

Egypt restricts the use of GPS to those who have a license from security authorities. Apparently the government is still negotiating with Egypt’s National Telecommunication Regulator Agency (NTRA) to allow commercial use of GPS.

Despite the restrictions, people are still smuggling in phones like the Nokia N95 which includes built-in GPS and navigation capabilities. If found, however, they will be confiscated.

Many Egyptians resort to using traditional paper maps or online services like Google maps to get around the country. But because of the ban, developing accurate mapping databases for Egypt has also become a problem. Mapping organizations in Egypt, like Dotmap, have to resort to less advanced methods such as using surveyors.

Egypt has banned other technology in the past. Satellite dishes weren’t allowed in the 1980′s for example.

Only three countries in the world ban GPS today: Egypt, Syria and North Korea.