The 5G triple play wireless access services is being demonstrated using a unique compact 5G CPE device.
UAE’s telecom services operator Etisalat has announced the successful launch of the first 5G ultra-mobile broadband experience in the Middle East.
A pre-commercial 5G network has been deployed in certain locations within the UAE including the capital Abu Dhabi and Dubai, said a statement from Etisalat.
The 5G services have been demonstrated using a 5G-based drone that is equipped with a 360-degree Virtual Reality (VR) camera with 4K streaming experience in live environment achieving up to 5Gbps in downlink and 2Gbps in Uplink with low latency and IoT connections, it stated.
In addition, a new 5G triple play wireless access services (Data, Voice and TV) is being demonstrated using a unique compact 5G Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device.
Experts in the broadcast industry see the opportunities in improving distribution to the end user with 5G boosting spectral density to support highly populated urban areas with better cell coverage for video streaming. Industry insiders are confident of achieving 10 Gb/s per cell in 2018, 10 times faster than the best density delivered today by 4G.
Group CEO Saleh Al Abdooli said: “In addition to the 5G and smart city strategies, we will continue our digital transformation journey by further developing new capabilities including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, network virtualisation and automation and Internet of things.”
Earlier in 2017, a report from the GSM Association stated that the Middle East and North African region is poised to be first in the world to launch commercial 5G networks.
By 2025, there will be more than 50 million 5G connections across this region, with 5G networks covering about 30% of the population at that point. Mobile broadband 3G and 4G networks account for about half of total mobile connections currently, and are predicted to increase to 70% by 2020, the report found.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE will be among the first countries in the world to launch commercial 5G networks, according to the report, due to high 4G adoption rates and government support in those areas.
According to Al Abdooli, Etisalat will continue the development and deployment of 5G network with targets to offer 5G consumer and business services with high speeds, low latency and machine connections.
“Etisalat confirms its commitment towards deployment of 5G services in major UAE cities during 2018 in preparation for the major planned events during 2018-2020 including World Government Summit, AFC Asian Cup, ITU PP-18 and Dubai Expo2020,” he added.
