UAE's 2G network to be closed in 2022 to free up resources for 5G

The GSM network was first introduced in the Emirates in 1994

The 2G network will cease to operate in the UAE next year. Randi Sokoloff / The National

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The 2G telephone network will be shut down in the UAE in December 2022, 28 years after it was introduced to the country.

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) said in a tweet that the sale of mobile devices that support only second-generation networks would cease in June next year.

It said resources would be redirected to the 5G network to support the next generation of mobile phone connectivity.

When the shutdown was announced, last year, the TDRA said affected by the decision would be supported.

Making way for the future

The UAE was the first country in the Arab region and the fourth in the world in the launch and use 5G, according to the Global Communication Index.

Abu Dhabi has the third-fastest 5G of any capital city worldwide, according to a report published last month.

Ookla, the company behind the Speedtest app, used for gauging internet performance, found that only Oslo and Seoul had faster networks.

A 5G network has an internet speed of up to 1.2 gigabits per second, which will gradually evolve to 10Gbps, more than 100 times that of 4G.

The speedy system is set to become the backbone to many futuristic developments in artificial intelligence, including self-driving cars and the Internet of Things.

It also enables users to download entire feature films in seconds.

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