Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, has announced the successful completion of its first trial of the 6 GHz spectrum. The company has created history with the monumental step for the future of 5G services, and opens a plethora of opportunities for next-gen technologies and future digital economies.
The successful trial was conducted in conjunction with Huawei Technologies and was integral in the evolution of current technology. Full capabilities and speed of 5G services depend on mid-band spectrum that not only secures performance, but also allows for the addition of extra capacity as required.
The 6GHz spectrum plays a critical role in the development of 5G services, with the exponential growth of mobile technologies, more powerful devices and a range of diverse services for consumers as well as enterprises. With the advent of applications that require more bandwidth, the number of connected devices per user has also increased, implying that extra bandwidth will be necessary to avoid service degradation and delivery of high-quality user experiences.
The 6GHz range represents a mid-band frequency, that combines the best coverage and capacity, which is the perfect operating environment for 5G connectivity. The extension of 5G bandwidth through the 6GHz spectrum will improve network performance and allow for more bandwidth utilization. In addition to these advantages, the 6GHz range offers contiguous channels that will make next-gen connectivity more affordable by reducing the need for network densification.
Chief Technology and Information Officer of Etisalat UAE, Khalid Murshed, stated that the adoption of 5G permits the industry to support national digital transformation goals, with the provision of reliable, low latency, high capacity and wide-area connectivity to consumers and enterprises.
He added that new untapped opportunities with hyper-personalized experiences powered by AI were offered with the advent of the metaverse. He also said that telecom companies like Etisalat will serve as the entry point to the metaverse due to ease of connectivity and customer access to the digital world. Murshed added that a future powered by AI and analytics will create a technology disruption that will bring challenges but simultaneously offer huge prospects to the industry.
The CTIO said that the trial for 6GHz was driven by future market requirements, and Etisalat could foresee a considerable growth opportunity accelerated by these future applications. He added that Etisalat, as a digital telco, focused on its core competencies, at the same time creating digital experiences designed to maximise engagement. He said that Etisalat would build new capabilities across digital and AI to flourish in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive market scenario.
Etisalat’s focus on the 6GHz spectrum coincides with its future roadmap as part of the transformation drive of the group to become a global technology leader. The company has partnered with global giants like Meta in an effort to continuously innovate and work on metaverse technologies. These include consumer channel digitalisation, enhancement of VR and AR experiences and conversational commerce across its digital communication strategy.
Etisalat demonstrates significant 5G implementation and connectivity
Metaverse applications would require seamless connectivity enhanced by macr-cellular networks that operate on mid-band spectrum like the 6GHz band. Future VR, AR and XR applications would require seamless connectivity and adequate bandwidth on 5G smartphones to access these networks. E& has demonstrated significant progress in 5G implementation and connectivity across the country.
5G serves as the foundation for the new digital economy, and a report by GSMA states that 5G will usher in an economic contribution of over USD700 billion by the year 2030. By the end of March this year, 5G services were launched in over 70 countries worldwide, with more than 700 million registered 5G users.
Use cases of 5G currently accelerate digital transformation across a range of sectors and industries, paving the way for new innovations that will benefit global society. 5G technologies support industry 4.0 and applications in healthcare and transportation, all of which are dependent on bandwidth, capacity and coverage.
Utilising the 6GHz spectrum, 5G projects promise to introduce creative and innovative applications to consumers with faster and more reliable mobile broadband. These applications will utilise fixed wireless access (FWA) 5G to connect consumers and enterprises at speeds similar to those offered by fibre, thereby offering benefits like increased efficiency, lower costs and enhanced safety.
In the healthcare sector, advanced telemedicine and surgical procedures will be made possible with increased speed and latency capabilities. The transport sector will also benefit from connected transport and more efficient public transportation systems.
The company has been striving to meet the requirements of International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) which have been defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The World Radiocommunication Conference is scheduled to be held in the UAE in 2023.