The UAE has announced the launch of the world’s first commercial upper 6GHz (U6GHz) network and ecosystem, highlighting its ambition to lead the next phase of global digital infrastructure.

The announcement was made at the SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2026, with the initiative led by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

The milestone marks a significant step in the evolution of next-generation mobile networks, as countries and operators race to build infrastructure capable of handling surging data demand driven by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Speaking at the 5G-Advanced and AI Applications for a Resilient Economy Forum, held alongside the summit, TDRA reaffirmed the UAE’s ambition to become a “10 Giga intelligent nation.” The authority confirmed plans to roll out the commercial U6GHz network by 2026 and called on global stakeholders—including chipmakers and device manufacturers—to support its commercialization.

The launch also brought together a broad coalition of industry players, including the SAMENA Telecommunications Council, Huawei, du, e&, GSMA, Nokia, HONOR, and Tozed, all of whom committed to accelerating the development of the U6GHz ecosystem.

In parallel, policymakers and industry leaders convened to align on spectrum strategy, deployment frameworks, and technology standards. Eng. Tareq Al Awadhi of TDRA highlighted the strategic importance of the upper 6GHz band, describing it as a key enabler for 5G-Advanced and a foundational layer for future 6G networks.

U6GHz refers to the 6425–7125 MHz frequency range, identified as Band n104 under global standards. With 700 MHz of continuous bandwidth, it is seen as a critical spectrum band that balances wide-area coverage with high-capacity performance—particularly as AI-driven applications place increasing pressure on networks.

Industry estimates suggest the band could support peak downlink speeds of up to 10 Gbps and uplink speeds of up to 1 Gbps under 5G-Advanced, while also enabling a smoother transition toward 6G.

For the UAE, the deployment is expected to strengthen digital infrastructure across key sectors, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, as part of broader efforts to build a future-ready, technology-driven economy.

Globally, the U6GHz ecosystem is rapidly moving from trials to commercial readiness. At MWC26, Huawei unveiled a full range of U6GHz solutions, while GSMA and other partners signaled growing industry alignment.

Operators such as Vodafone, China Mobile, and Brazil’s TIM have already completed field tests, paving the way for wider adoption.

Commenting on the development, Bocar BA, CEO of the SAMENA Council, said the UAE’s move places it ahead of many markets in shifting from testing to real-world deployment, while reinforcing collaboration across the telecom ecosystem.

Jawad Abbassi, Head of MENA at GSMA, added that U6GHz will play a central role in enabling high-speed connectivity and could give the Middle East a first-mover advantage as the industry transitions toward 6G.