du announces first live millimetre Wave 5G site at Yas Island

UAE-based telecommunications provider du, from the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has successfully deployed the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) first millimeter (mm) Wave site at the du arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, which will provide the ultra-high mobile broadband 5G services, increase coverage, and accelerate the pace of widespread 5G usage in the country.

The first mm Wave site will help provide ultra-high mobile broadband speeds of up to 2.1 Gbps using 26GHz frequency. du is still working on reaching new breakthroughs of even higher user throughputs by deploying more bandwidths on mm wave to exceed 4Gbps speed.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer, EITC, said: “du continues to deliver pioneering solutions that enhance best in-class infrastructure and contribute to the government’s digital transformation agenda. By actively driving the latest innovative technologies and solutions, transformation achieved as a result will boost performance and increases industry standards. The mm Wave frequencies will greatly improve network capacity and allow du to deliver enhanced services to an unprecedented number of mobile users. Furthermore, they will provide cost-effective 5G coverage in high-traffic areas. 5G device sales that support the mm Wave are continually rising and we anticipate higher market availability and wider adoption in the near future.”

The move aligns with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s (TRA) announcement that the UAE will become the first country in the Middle East to use higher 5G frequency in 2020, and the transition will ultimately contribute towards the country’s goals in relation to global competitiveness, ICT infrastructure readiness, and becoming the global leader in online government services.