The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced the allocation of a new frequency band that allows UAE telecom operators to expand the application of 5G, in line with the decisions of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), which was a pivotal stage in the transition towards 5G, as it allocated frequency bands for countries to be used in implementing the new technology.
Frequencies in the millimeter-wave range between 24.25 – 27.5 GHz have been allocated to the development of 5G networks in UAE, which is the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to allocate this range. The band will be allocated in two phases based on equipment availability. The first phase is scheduled to start on the first of September 2020, in which the frequency band 26.5-27.5 GHz will be allocated to the operators. 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. This initiative comes as a result of international coordination and technical studies that have lasted more than 4 years, which highlights the importance of international coordination and harmony in providing access to this important part of the spectrum.”