du, the leading telecom and digital services provider, has reached a significant milestone with the successful deployment of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology on its live network. This makes du the region’s first operator—and the UAE the first country—to roll out this next-generation capability, in collaboration with Huawei. The launch underscores du’s commitment to pioneering innovations that enhance customer experience and support the nation’s digital ambitions.
The deployment leverages du’s concept of the 64T64R Dual Band Active Antenna Unit (AAU) in the 3.7 GHz (N78) and 2.6 GHz (N41) spectrum. Conceived as part of du’s strategic roadmap, this solution delivers enhanced capacity, improved coverage, and greater spectrum efficiency. By consolidating hardware and optimizing radio performance, the Dual Band AAU sets a new global benchmark in mobile innovation, while reducing power consumption and the network’s carbon footprint.
Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, said:
“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 commitment to building a green, sustainable network for the future.”
Felix Liu, Chief of UAE Carrier Business at Huawei, added:
“Huawei is privileged to partner with du on 5G-Advanced network construction. Our Dual Band AAU solution delivers outstanding network performance and enhanced customer experience, in line with the UAE’s sustainability goals.”
The 5G-Advanced network delivers tangible benefits for both consumers and businesses. Users can enjoy ultra-fast data speeds for high-bandwidth applications such as 8K video streaming and real-time conferencing, stronger coverage in remote areas, and ultra-low latency for critical applications like autonomous vehicles and smart city infrastructure. Enterprise customers can leverage the network for massive IoT deployments and large-scale digital services.
Key performance achievements include:
- Peak data rate of ~5.4 Gbps and average data rate improvements of up to ~33%
- Stronger connectivity at cell edges and improved uplink speeds
- Enhanced spectrum aggregation enabled by Massive MIMO
The new dual-band design also promotes energy efficiency, supporting du’s net-zero sustainability goals. Beyond immediate improvements, the network lays the foundation for future innovations, including ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), enabling smarter cities, connected industries, and a fully digitized society.
This deployment is part of du’s broader strategy to lead the evolution of 5G and beyond, working alongside global technology partners and local regulators to ensure the UAE remains at the forefront of global digital transformation.
