UAE telecom regulator RTA allocates new 5G frequencies

UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has allocated new 5G frequencies to the two UAE operators.

Frequencies in the millimetre wave range between 24.25 – 27.5 GHz allow UAE telecom operators to expand the services they can offer of 5G.

The band will be allocated in two phases based on equipment availability. The first phase began on September 1, 2020, in which the frequency band 26.5-27.5 GHz was allocated to the telcos. The second phase will start in the third quarter of 2021, through which 1 GHz will be allocated per operator in the 25.5 – 27.5 GHz range.

The TRA also confirmed that 5G deployment in the UAE by the licensees complies with Guidelines on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields approved by recognised international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, WHO, the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection, ICNIRP, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE, and in line with TRA’s framework for Non-Ionising Radiation Limits for Telecommunication Networks.

Read: How 5G powered devices will help bridge digital divide in UAE schools

“The provision of the frequency spectrum for 5G contributes to building a high-standard global communication platform and enabling the UAE to use and apply the latest ICT, to provide global standards services, achieve long-term social and economic benefits in various areas such as manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and education,” said Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA director-general.

“Moreover, this initiative comes as a result of international coordination and technical studies that have lasted more than four years, which highlights the importance of international coordination and harmony in providing access to this important part of the spectrum,” he added.

The fifth-generation telecommunications technology, 5G, will deliver completely new experiences for users. A network built on 5G could deliver speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. Such speeds, combined with zero latency, can make data-intensive entertainment like virtual reality viable on mobile networks. A user on a 5G network can download an HD movie in 5 to 10 seconds, compared with 10 minutes for 4G.