CAIRO, July 21 (Reuters) - Vodafone Egypt willinvest around 9.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.3 billion) overthe next three years to improve its network, its recentlyappointed chief executive said.
Vodafone Egypt, majority owned by British mobile operatorVodafone, will finance the plan from existing funds,Ahmed Essam told a news conference in Cairo late on Sunday.
Vodafone Egypt, which is also 45-percent owned by fixed-linetelecoms firm Telecom Egypt, is the leadingcommunications player by customer numbers in the country of 86million.
Egypt is finalising the details of a long-awaited unifiedlicence which will allow firms to offer both mobile and landlinetelecommunications.
To gain access to Telecom Egypt's fixed line network isexpected to cost 100 million pounds.
Vodafone Egypt is still studying the possibility of offeringlandline services and has not reached a decision, Essam said.
Telecom Egypt has been given a one-year deadline to sell itsstake in Vodafone Egypt once the unified licence is activated.
Asked about the progress of the sale, Essam said it was amatter for the board of Vodafone Group and shareholders.
Essam was appointed as CEO this month.
($1 = 7.1500 Egyptian Pounds) (Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Shadia Nasralla; Editingby Mark Potter)