du launches commercial upper-6GHz connectivity in the UAE

Telecommunications provider du has announced the launch of commercial connectivity over its live 5G+ network using the upper-6GHz spectrum. This deployment utilizes 350 MHz of contiguous spectrum within the 6775–7125 MHz band.

Unlike previous laboratory demonstrations, this service provides an end-to-end connection to commercially available Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), such as home and business internet routers. The expansion is intended to increase wireless capacity for enhanced mobile broadband, next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), and cloud-based AI applications.

While the increased bandwidth offers significant capacity upgrades compared to mid-band 5G, the technology may face challenges regarding indoor penetration and coverage due to the higher frequency. The initiative follows previous field tests conducted by du, Nokia, and MediaTek, and aims to lay the groundwork for future 6G technologies.