UAE to soon allocate bands to ‘pave the way’ for 6G services

Regulator says nation is 'among the first' to make the move

The announcement comes seven months after the TDRA unveiled a 6G roadmap. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The UAE is planning to allocate 600MHz and 6GHz bands soon, in a move that will help to accelerate the development of 6G services in the Arab world's second largest economy, the telecommunications regulator said on Friday.

The move will enhance the future of communication in the UAE, Majed Al Mesmar, director general of the Telecommunications and Digital Regulatory Authority (TDRA), said in a statement.

“The adoption of the new bands would provide the quantum leap needed to ensures that the UAE, which has always been ahead, will maintain this pioneer ship for years to come,” Mr Al Mesmar said.

TDRA said the bands would be allocated for use with mobile telecommunications systems, which in turn, will make it possible for consumers to eventually use 6G technology.

“6G technologies represent a paradigm shift in the world of technology, as they provide blazing-fast data speeds in the terabit level, a response time [latency] of less than a millisecond, and improved networking through artificial intelligence,” said Mr Al Mesmar.

Advancement of this scale will also help to enable real-time hologram connectivity, virtual and augmented reality, as well as large-scale integration of the Internet of Things (IoT).

IoT is often described as a collective network of connected devices that enables communication between computing systems through wired or wireless networks. This connectivity allows almost frictionless digital monitoring or potential control of the physical environment.

Sixth-generation technology, much like the 5G and 4G technology waves that preceded it, will offer faster speeds and data transfers for users of smartphones, tablets and laptops.

“The UAE is one of the first countries in the world to take the initiative to allocate such bands to operators,” the TDRA said, adding that the actual operation of the new frequency bands is likely to begin between 2025 and 2026.

In April, TDRA unveiled a 6G roadmap, which aims to replicate the UAE’s success as one of the first countries to deploy 5G techology.

“In 2018, the UAE emerged as the fourth country globally to deploy 5G, marking a pioneering stride in technology,” the telecommunications regulator said at the time. “As 5G continues to evolve and enhance its capabilities, the current strategic plans include the ongoing development of the advanced 5G network, with a targeted transition to 6G by 2030.”

The latest announcement, which coincides with Eid Al Etihad, also know as Union Day, underpins the importance of laying the “foundation for the coming years of modernisation and evolution in light of the dramatic acceleration that characterises our time”, said Talal Belhoul Al Falasi, chairman of TDRA’s board.