UAE Becomes First Nation to Deploy 5G-Advanced Networks Nationwide
The United Arab Emirates has achieved a global telecommunications milestone by becoming the first country to commercially deploy 5G-Advanced (5G-A) networks. This next-generation connectivity leap was spearheaded by UAE telecom operator du in collaboration with Chinese technology leader Huawei.
The deployment leverages Huawei’s innovative Dual Band Active Antenna Unit (AAU) technology. This flagship solution uniquely enables the network to operate simultaneously in both the 3.7 GHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands. This dual-band approach significantly boosts overall network performance, capacity, and efficiency compared to standard 5G, paving the way for more demanding applications and a superior user experience.
This nationwide rollout represents a major stride in the UAE’s strategic ambition to solidify its reputation as a global leader in digital technology and build a future-proof, resilient communications infrastructure. It builds upon the partners’ previous achievement in 2024, when du and Huawei launched the region’s first indoor 5G-Advanced network across key locations like shopping malls, hotels, and airports, achieving remarkable internet speeds of up to 5.1 Gbps.
The new 5G-Advanced network is expected to unlock transformative capabilities, particularly in environments requiring ultra-high capacity and low latency. Key application areas include:
- Serving high-density user locations like stadiums and urban centers.
- Enhancing connectivity within large corporate campuses and enterprise environments.
- Powering immersive Extended Reality (XR) experiences.
- Enabling seamless streaming of ultra-high-definition video.
- Supporting advanced industrial Internet of Things (IoT) applications requiring massive machine-type communication and ultra-reliability.
The UAE’s pioneering deployment of 5G-Advanced underscores its commitment to maintaining a technological edge and providing its residents and businesses with access to the world’s most advanced mobile network infrastructure. This move positions the nation at the forefront of the global evolution towards 6G.
