The telephone network has improved considerably since the mid 1980's. Telex, telephones and faxes are available at nearly every hotel and business.
Telegrams are still widely used.
International phone calls are possible only if you have an international line. International lines are available at all major hotels. Contact your long distance carrier to obtain their local operator number in Alexandria or Cairo. It is relatively easy to make phone calls to Cairo from Alexandria, so an operator access number in Cairo is also convenient. Based on people's experiences, phone calls made through these carriers sometimes cost less than calls made directly from Egypt, depending on the country you are calling.