du HQ/Image: Supplied
du, UAE’s telecom and digital services provider, has announced the successful deployment of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology on its live network, making it the first operator in the region and positioning the UAE as the first country to roll out this next-generation capability. The milestone, achieved in collaboration with Huawei, underscores du’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge innovations that enhance customer experience and advance national digital ambitions.
As part of its strategic roadmap, du first envisioned and initiated the concept of the 64T64R Dual Band Active Antenna Unit (AAU) operating in the 3.7 GHz (N78) and 2.6 GHz (N41) spectrum bands. This world-first unit has now been deployed on du’s live network, offering enhanced capacity, improved coverage, and greater spectrum efficiency. The technology integrates hardware functions, boosts performance, and optimizes spectrum use, all while significantly reducing power consumption and carbon emissions.
“5G-Advanced is a monumental leap forward for du and the UAE’s telecom sector. This milestone reflects our ongoing efforts to deliver world-class connectivity and support the nation’s vision to be a global technology leader. It also reaffirms our focus on building a green, sustainable network for the future,” said Saleem AlBlooshi, chief technology officer at du.
Felix Liu, chief of UAE carrier business at Huawei, added: “Huawei is privileged to be part of 5G-Advanced network construction together with du. We have been continuously engaged with our customers to understand network needs and provide tailored solutions which can bring business success. Huawei’s 5G Dual Band AAU is another flagship solution which offers outclass network performance and customer experience and is in line with UAE’s sustainability goals.”
Benefits
The 5G-Advanced deployment delivers notable benefits for both consumers and enterprises. End-users will experience ultra-fast data speeds suitable for 8K video streaming and real-time conferencing, expanded coverage in remote areas, and ultra-low latency for mission-critical applications such as autonomous driving and smart city infrastructure. For enterprises, the network supports massive IoT deployments and large-scale digital services, while its energy-efficient dual-band design aligns with du’s net-zero sustainability targets.
Technically, the network has achieved a peak data rate of approximately 5.4Gbps, with average data rates improving by up to 33 per cent. The solution also strengthens cell-edge performance and uplink speeds, leveraging Massive MIMO and enhanced spectrum aggregation to set new benchmarks for mobile network capabilities in the UAE.
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Beyond speed and coverage, du’s 5G-Advanced network lays the groundwork for the future, enabling intelligent automation, ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). These capabilities are critical for powering connected industries, smart cities, and a fully digitized society.
This deployment forms part of du’s broader strategy to lead the evolution of 5G and beyond, working closely with global technology partners and local regulators to keep the UAE at the forefront of global digital transformation.
