The UAE’s first commercial U6GHz network was officially launched at the SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2026 on April 7, 2026, making the country the first in the world to deploy this spectrum commercially. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) led the effort, with representatives from Huawei, du, e&, GSMA, Nokia, HONOR, and Tozed joining a joint commercialization ceremony at the event.
Eng. Saif Bin Ghelaita, Representative of the Director General of TDRA, delivered the keynote at the 5G-Advanced and AI Applications for Resilient Economy Forum during the summit. He stated the UAE’s goal to become a 10 Giga intelligent nation and called on chipmakers and device manufacturers to join the U6GHz commercialization effort.
What the U6GHz Network Offers
U6GHz covers the 6425 to 7125MHz frequency range, defined by 3GPP as Band n104. The band provides 700MHz of continuous bandwidth, offering a balance between wide-area coverage and high-capacity performance. Estimates from SAMENA Council technology members indicate the band can support peak speeds of up to 10Gbps downlink and 1Gbps uplink under 5G-Advanced conditions.
The band is also considered a foundation for future 6G networks. TDRA has already issued a roadmap for the evolution from 5G-Advanced to 6G, and the U6GHz spectrum is central to that path. Target sectors include finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Industry Readiness and Global Trials
At MWC 2026, Huawei launched a full range of U6GHz products, achieving coverage comparable to C-band and 10Gbps peak rates. GSMA, alongside Huawei, Qualcomm, Tozed, and Meig, confirmed ecosystem readiness for deployment. Global operators including Vodafone, China Mobile, and Brazil TIM completed U6GHz field tests ahead of the commercial rollout.
“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 use U6GHz during the 5G-A phase to gain a first-mover advantage.”
Jawad Abbassi, Head of MENA, GSMA
The UAE’s Path to This Launch
The UAE’s journey to this launch spans several years. Following the consensus reached at WRC-23, TDRA allocated the U6GHz band for IMT services in 2024, placing the UAE among the first countries globally to do so. In 2025, e& UAE, working with Huawei, completed U6GHz field tests and achieved a 10Gbps user experience, laying the groundwork for Dubai’s 5G-Advanced 10Gbps city project.
“With this U6GHz ecosystem launch, the UAE has moved ahead of many markets in transitioning from trials to commercial rollouts.”
Bocar BA, CEO, SAMENA Council
Eng. Tareq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs and Chairman of the Arab Spectrum Management Group, chaired a parallel policy session at the summit. He stated: “The upper 6 GHz band is a key resource for IMT services and will support future mobile technologies including 5G-Advanced. It will also serve as a foundation for 6G.”
Deployment Plans and Economic Impact
U6GHz networks will expand across major UAE cities and key economic zones. Use cases include real-time remote medical diagnosis, intelligent traffic management, and immersive digital experiences. The rollout also targets AI-driven applications, as rising AI traffic places growing pressure on networks to deliver balanced uplink and downlink capacity.
By 2028, U6GHz coverage is expected to reach a substantial portion of the UAE population, supporting long-term digital economy growth and 6G readiness. The UAE’s approach, combining spectrum allocation, regulation, and industry collaboration, positions the country as a reference market for next-generation connectivity deployment.
