New spectrum deployment strengthens the UAE’s position in 5G-Advanced evolution and lays early groundwork for 6G
Dubai, UAE – April 7, 2026 – The launch of the world’s first commercial upper 6GHz (U6GHz) network and ecosystem was announced at the SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2026, marking the UAE’s leadership on the U6GHz front, led by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). This is a significant step in the evolution of next-generation mobile infrastructure in the UAE and the world. The milestone reinforces the UAE’s position at the forefront of global digital development and reflects a shift in how networks and regulatory approaches are evolving to handle rising data intensity and AI-driven traffic.
In the 5G-Advaned & AI Applications for Resilient Economy Forum, a dedicated session held during the Leaders’ Summit 2026, TDRA’s keynote delivered by Eng. Saif Bin Ghelaita Representative of Director General of TDRA , reaffirmed the UAE’s aims to become a 10 Giga intelligent nation and to firmly support the U6GHz IMT industry and plans to build the world’s first commercial U6GHz network in 2026. The TDRA also called on industry stakeholders, including chipmakers and device manufacturers, to participate in the U6GHz commercialization.
In the U6GHz joint commercialization initiation ceremony at the Leaders’ Summit 2026, representatives from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the SAMENA Telecommunications Council, Huawei, du, e&, GSMA, Nokia, HONOR, and Tozed affirmed their commitment to the new ecosystem, setting another milestone in the UAE’s digital development journey.
During the Leaders’ Summit 2026, a parallel session on 6GHz and policy, technology, and deployment alignment was also held, with policy-dialogue partnership of GSMA and chairmanship of TDRA, represented and led by Eng. Tareq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs and the Chairman of Arab Spectrum Management Group. Introducing the strategic context, Eng. Al Awadhi stated: “The upper 6 GHz band is a key resource for IMT services and support future mobile technologies 5G Advanaced and it will be foundation for 6G. This first dialogue on deployment alignment among various stakeholders is both timely and necessary.”
Empowering Digital Transformation and Technological Evolution
U6GHz refers to the 6425–7125MHz range identified by the 3GPP standard as Band n104. With 700MHz continuous bandwidth, it offers a balance between wide-area coverage and high-capacity performance. Often hailed as the “golden spectrum,” U6GHz is critical as networks evolve beyond traditional downlink-heavy architecture.
AI usage is multiplying by the day and as millions of AI systems operate across industries, the amount of data being processed is rising tremendously, placing new pressure on networks to provide balanced high-speed downlink and uplink capacity securely, reliably, and low-latency.
Estimations done by the SAMENA Council’s technology providers members indicate that U6GHz is expected to enable peak speeds of up to 10Gbps downlink and 1Gbps uplink under 5G-Advanced (5G-A). Moreover, this “golden band” an create a solid foundation for the smooth evolution of mobile communication technologies from 5G-A to 6G, on which a roadmap has already been issued by TDRA-UAE. For the UAE, the Upper 6GHz spectrum strengthens national digital infrastructure ambitions across sectors, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, among others.
From Global Trials to Commercial Readiness
Recently, the global U6GHz industry entered a critical phase of accelerated development, transitioning from technical verification to large-scale commercial deployment. Vendors showcased compatible infrastructure, while ecosystem players continue to accelerate development.
At MWC26, one of the Councils leading members, Huawei, launched a full-range of U6GHz products, achieving coverage comparable to C-band and 10Gbps peak rates. During the event, GSMA along with Huawei, Qualcomm, Tozed, Meig, and other stakeholders signaled ecosystem readiness for U6GHz deployment, while global operators including Vodafone, China Mobile, and Brazil TIM completed U6GHz field tests, laying a solid foundation for commercialization.
Bocar BA, CEO of the SAMENA Council, has stated: “With this U6GHz ecosystem launch, the UAE has moved ahead of many markets in transitioning from trials to commercial rollouts, and it is a privilege that this development has taken place during the Leaders’ Summit 2026, an industry leadership meeting held during these challenging times in the regional context, to foster dialogue, build support for the ecosystem, and to signal continuity in efforts toward collaboration and development.”
Mr. Jawad Abbassi, Head of MENA, GSMA, said, “The U6GHz ecosystem is now sufficiently ready to support commercial deployment. The band will play a central role in achieving 10Gbps connectivity and serve as an initial spectrum for future 6G networks. The Middle East can leverage U6GHz during the 5G-A phase to gain a first-mover advantage.”
The UAE U6GHz Journey
The launch of U6GHz in the UAE is the result of the long-term strategic layout and unremitting efforts in the field of advanced communication technologies. Following the consensus reached at WRC-23, the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) allocated the U6GHz band for IMT services in 2024, positioning the UAE among the first countries globally to do so. In 2025, e& UAE, in collaboration with strategic partners including Huawei, successfully completed U6GHz field tests, achieving an ultimate 10Gbps user experience and laying the groundwork for the construction of Dubai’s “5G-A 10Gbps connection” city. The UAE U6GHz Sail Ceremony is the culmination of these efforts, officially kicking off the commercial operation of U6GHz services and marking the UAE’s entry into the U6GHz era.
Drive to the Digital Future
With the official commercial launch of UAE U6GHz, the UAE is poised to unlock new value in digital transformation and lead the Middle East’s communication industry into a new stage.
Deployment of U6GHz networks will expand coverage across major cities and key economic zones, ensuring that enterprises and residents can enjoy stable, ultra-high-speed network services. It will also deepen industry integration, promoting the application of U6GHz technology in smart cities, industrial Internet, digital healthcare, and smart tourism. Use cases include real-time remote medical diagnosis, intelligent traffic management, and immersive digital experiences. The rollout will strengthen international cooperation, collaborating with global technology partners to promote U6GHz technology innovation and standardization, while sharing experience in U6GHz deployment to enhance the UAE’s influence in the global digital ecosystem.
By 2028, U6GHz is expected to cover a substantial portion of the UAE’s population, supporting long-term digital economy growth and future 6G readiness.
This U6GHz ecosystem launch positions the UAE as a reference market for how spectrum, regulation and industrial collaboration can accelerate next-generation connectivity.
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