UAE telecom giant launches 1st 5G ultra-mobile broadband service in Mideast

DUBAI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Emirates Telecommunications Group, or Etisalat, announced on Sunday the successful launch of its 5G ultra-mobile broadband service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first in the Middle East.

Etisalat, the most valuable firm in the UAE, said in a statement that the 5G service has been demonstrated using an advanced 5G based drone that is equipped with a 360 degree Virtual Reality camera.

The 5th generation wireless system, known as 5G, goes beyond the currently implemented 4G standard as it allows a higher density of mobile broadband users.

It will provide an improved broadband experience by meeting the requirements of high spectrum rates, high peak rates and large number of connections, and will therefore function as a catalyst for the digitization of the daily life based on the "Internet of Things."

New 5G wireless access services (Data, Voice and TV) can be experienced through using a unique compact 5G Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device, said Etisalat, whose shares are traded on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

This initial deployment of 5G system will be a "major enabler" for the fourth industrial revolution and will create new business opportunities for Etisalat partners in the UAE, including the Intelligent Transport System (ITS), autonomous car, smart health and education among others, Etisalat said.

Saleh Al-Abdooli, CEO of Etisalat, said that, in addition to the 5G service and smart city strategies, the company will continue "our digital transformation journey by further developing new capabilities, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, network virtualization and automation, and the Internet of Things." Enditem